Maheegan
by Dancing star 890
Summary: Eleanora Rivers isn't the prettiest girl, and she knows this, as she sits in Forks hospital, each dying breath bringing her towards her last, but when she'd forced to join the public school on the reservation, she finds she may just have found that half of her soul she knows has always been missing.
1. Chapter 1

I was never the most fortunate of children. Dad bounced from job to job, struggling to support me while my worthless Mother was off pushing out kid after kid -she'd abandoned me as soon as the first sign of health problems came to the surface, the first of many I'd face over the years. It was all her fault anyways. Had she not used drugs throughout her _entire_ pregnancy with myself, I would probably have been a healthy child.

Dad worked his ass off. He held me as I screamed during every operation until the anaesthesia stole away my senses, he cuddled me after every single injection, blood transfusion or test and immunisation I endured, wiping away my tears and consoling me every single time I was in pain, getting me through it after I wept that I couldn't take anymore of the torture I endured on each trip to Forks Community Hospital. He was my hero.

My life was simple. I attended school with my best friend, in her living room. Her mother home-schooled me -hospital appointments were frequent, and regular school just didn't work out as a result of that. But I was clever. I could name the Periodic table off by heart, and I could name all of the different illnesses that commonly affected children, although I put this down to being in the hospital for most of my life. I was a regular there, and always eager to learn about my ailing body the best I could to understand just how screwed up I was on the inside.

Although he tried to be there the best he could, Dad had to leave the reservation often and go travelling to make money. It was because of this that Grams lived with us. She was a sweet old lady, her crinkling brown eyes always glittering those times I found enough energy to laugh, or when she saw me as peaceful as I could be, my face not twisted in an agonised grimace. I loved her.

She had no tolerance for my _Mother_ either, something I respected her for. She too knew that had narcotics not been used during my months of growth, I probably wouldn't be dying from a multitude of conditions and diseases.

Renal failure, Chronic heart failure in the form of Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Sickle Cell Anaemia, those weekly blood transfusions a result of that horrible disease. It was all her fault. Everything was her fault. Millions of women had children every year, and yet next to none of them used drugs throughout all of those months they were carrying my children. Why had mine? I suffered constant lung infections, the fluid being drained out each and every time, and each and every time being more dangerous than the one before that one. Chronic respiratory failure had recently been added to the ever growing list of problems my pathetic body was enduring.

Leukaemia had been the last straw. I almost never left the hospital after that diagnosis. It was unending. Every day was filled with a needle poke, a test, something that the doctors would find to check my progress. I made long standing friends with the nurses and doctors there. How couldn't I? They were the constant faces of those keeping me alive, however impossible it was to tempt death as I knew that would be my ultimate outcome at the end of the mother fucking rainbow.

I refused treatment. It didn't matter if I had refused it or not anyways. Dad couldn't afford it. Grams couldn't afford it. I didn't even want it anymore. What was the point? I would just be unresponsive to it anyways.

Grams stared at me as I came to, my mouth as dry as the Sahara Desert. She offered me a gentle smile, her russet native coloured skin crinkling as she reached for the small plastic cup with the polka dot straw. I knew it contained water. She leaned forward, extending the hideous looking straw towards me. "Small sips, dear." She murmured and I supressed the urge to roll my eyes even though I was too weak to even keep my grey BLUE coloured eyes open. I was half native, half not. My hair was the blackest black imaginable and typically curled over the shoulders in gentle curls. She'd straightened it before I went under as something so simple typically took my mind off of the horrible details. I had the typical russet coloured native skin like Grams and Dad, and I was petite at only five feet and two inches tall. I made up for my lack of height in how big my mouth was, that was damn for sure.

I took a small sip, the cold water temporarily soothing my dry throat. She pulled it away, lifting my needle free hand to her mouth and gently pressing her lips against my knuckles. I eyed her through barely open eyes. "How'd I do?" I whispered, my voice cracked and hoarse.

Her dark eyes seemed sad, but I knew it was because she detested seeing me like this. "Like a little star." She whispered back, her eyes beginning to shine. "I'm so proud of you. They said everything went smoothly, and they were able to drain all the fluid this time without you going into respiratory distress. An improvement, they said." She explained and I tried to muster up a small smile, but my lips wouldn't obey my mind. She saw the slight tremor of my lips and pressed another kiss to my knuckles. "I know." She soothed before giving me a bright smile, the sight making me a little bit calmer. "Your father will be back tomorrow morning. He took the weekend off to make sure you were alright. He sends his love and left you in my very capable hands until he gets here."

That made me a little happier despite how weak and fragile I felt. "I've missed him," I whispered and she nodded with a smile of her own. "I know you have, my sweet Eleanora." She whispered, my brows crinkling as she used my old, grandma like name. She supposedly suggested it to Dad in honour of my Great Grams, and while I prefer it to be shortened to Elle, or Nora on the rare occasion, I hate the name Eleanora. It screams of coming from the olden days before cell phones. I inwardly shudder at the thought of no cell phones. How could I have ever coped back in those times without my beloved cell? I would have died long ago had that been the case in this day and age.

She gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "Carrie came by to see you earlier but you were still asleep." She announced and I looked at her. Carrie was also another reason to attempt to make the most of my miserable existence. Considering her Mom home-schooled us both and was like the one I never had to me, we had been inseparable for as long as we both could remember. We were super whizzes at Chemistry and Maths too, well, her Chemistry slightly more than me. It was Biology that just clicked for me. How couldn't it considering I knew more about my body than anyone else? All those times learning about what each individual disease or condition I had was paying off.

I licked my dry lips. "Can you tell her I'm awake then?" I whispered and she nodded, standing up. "After you've seen the doctor, my love."

 **(W*W)**

Dad enveloped me into a gentle hug, being careful of all the wires as he wrapped me up in his big strong form. He was a giant of a man at just under six feet six inches tall, and I loved how he could just make all my worries go with one simple embrace. He pressed a kiss into my still straight raven black hair. "How's my girl doing?" He greeted. He eyed me warily. "No more ink I hope, or piercings?" He stated with a hard stare.

That was something we agreed to disagree on. Whenever we went to visit my maternal Grams every time we had the chance to between hospital appointments, I'd somehow sneak off every single time and return with either new ink or piercing, or sometimes both. To say he was unimpressed was an understatement. He was livid when it happened the last time, especially considering I'm not even sixteen years old yet.

I shook my head slightly. "No. I'm inked enough I think." I muttered sullenly and he hummed under his breath, taking a seat on the bed beside me. "I agree. Now, I need to have a talk with you about something." He sighed, rubbing a hand down his stubble bearded face.

That made me frown and I smiled slightly. "What about?" I questioned and he sighed. "Sandra can't home-school you girls anymore. She's struggling with the bills now that the money is running out, and Carrie will be attending the school on the reservation."

My world came crashing down and I shook my head. "I cannot go to public school!" I pleaded, tears pooling in my eyes. He gave me a soft look. "They'll make fun of me because of my breathing apparatus and the fact I'm sick all of the time. Remember what happened in Elementary school?!" I cried out and he sighed. "I don't want you to either sweetheart, but Grams can't tutor you. She knows nothing of the stuff you do with Sandra and I'm always out of the state working. You need to give it a go, Ellie." He stated and I scowled, tears burning at my eyes.

Then came the red hot anger from my famous temper. "It doesn't matter anyway!" I snapped venomously. "I'm dying, so who gives one if I get a good education or not! It's not like I can use it when I'm dead and six feet under, is it?"

I regretted the last sentence immediately as hurt seared in his chocolate brown eyes, the sheen in those dark orbs telling me I'd brought him close to tears. He swallowed and was silent for a moment before standing. "I'll uh, leave you to think about what you just said while I go ask the doctor how your last operation and tests got on." He said, not looking at me before he walked quickly from the room, not slamming the door behind him like I expected him to.

I pulled my pillow to my mouth and let out a scream into it, my hot, angry tears soaking the plush whiteness of it. The grief was consuming. What the hell was the point of going to school? I'd been right when I said I couldn't use them when I was dead. That was where I'd be in less than two years. Would there going to be some miraculous cure awaiting me in the public school on the reservation? Not fucking likely, and I wasn't sure if that's what hurt most, or the fact that I'd more than likely just broke the only hero I had ever truly known.


	2. Chapter 2

**Two months later**

Grams pulled up outside the only school on the reservation, the same one that Carrie would be starting at today as well. I just stared out of the window, rain splattering against the glass and partially obscuring the view of the new place of my complete and utter hell. I saw her look at me out of the corner of her deep brown eyes, a sad look in those chocolate coloured orbs.

I didn't move, and she sighed. "Elle," she soothed, reaching over to me and giving my scarred hand the gentlest of squeezes. "I cannot make you get out this car," she stated with another soft, breathy sigh. I glanced at her, my eyes beginning to water. She gave me a sad smile. "But I can wholly say that if you don't, you'll never experience any of these experiences you teenagers need to have. My only regret is that you can't experience the rest of your wonderful existence until you're as old as me," God damn it, cue the tears. They pooled unwillingly in my grey eyes, and she wiped them away before they could fall. "But I want you to have the best teenage life possible." She finished.

Her words rang around inside of my head before I grabbed my backpack and reached for the car door, not missing the twinkling of those eyes as I climbed out of the care and into the pouring rain. Carrie must have been sheltered somewhere near as she came running over, pulling an umbrella up as she did so, her silky black tresses as wild as her own dark eyes. She gave me an admonishing look. "You know you can't get wet!" She cried out and I gave a half hearted shrug, water dripping from my nose. She grabbed my backpack, another one securing my oxygen tank already on my back so I couldn't put it on. She adjusted my respirator under my nose, putting it on properly before taping it back on properly. I scowled. "I don't want to do this." I grumbled.

My best friend nodded. "Well, I don't either, but Mom had to go back to work. Look, anyone says anything, just tell them to shut it. They stare, tell them to take a picture as it'll last longer. Just ignore them if they say anything at all about your absences. They don't need to know anything unless you chose to tell them." She repeated what she'd told me a couple of days back, and I nodded, taking my bag from her. "Just think, I'm making a scrapbook of all of our memories. Maybe you'll find someone I can snap you with." She teased with a nudge.

An unladylike snort ripped from me before I could stop it, not that I wanted to. "Yeah," I retorted bitterly. "Who'll want to date a dead girl walking? Lets just face it, Rie, I'm gonna die a virgin." I added and she rolled her eyes. "You will not, and stop saying that. I thought we agreed not to talk about the doom and gloom on the first day and embrace public school life and all of the skanks and jocks that come along with it?"

I sighed, not in the mood to argue and too tired to do it anyways. She gave a triumphant smile and began leading me away. "Lets go, Nora."

 **(W*W)**

It wasn't even lunch time and I was already sick of the lingering stares of both teacher and student alike. It was irritating and the feeling of punching someone inducing. I was furious. Carrie didn't have this period with me, something I hated beyond belief, but I pushed through. Grams was right. I needed to experience every single _shitty_ experience I could.

The seat next to me was thankfully empty. Carrie hadn't been able to sit next to me in English last period, so I'd been stuck beside some girl. She had spent the entire God damn time staring at my respirator until I angrily asked her what the hell she was looking at. She hadn't looked at me directly again after that, and that was the way I liked it.

Class filled in slowly. I'd been allowed to leave five minutes early considering how slow I walked sometimes, especially right now when how cold it was happened to be making it harder for me to breathe. I couldn't stand this. At least at Carrie's home during school it had been warm, or the heater had been put on and hot tea had been passed about on the off chance it was just a little bit cooler than my ailing body could manage.

The chair next to me remained empty, that was until a towering giant of a man came into the classroom, his expression showing that he wasn't the least bit sorry that he was slightly late. The teacher, an aging man by the name of Mr Redwood just sighed, not bothering to take a look as if he already knew who was late to his lesson. "Take a seat, Mr Black, and then we can begin."

And lo and behold, the only seat that happened to be available was right next to God damn me.

I remained stiff as the giant of a boy took a seat beside me, the chair scraping noisily as he pulled it out and sat down. I kept my head down, reading through some of the notes I had from my old Physics lessons with Carrie and her Mom. I wasn't the best at Physics, but I was good, I guess. I could pull through this lesson, that was about it.

The words coming from Mr Redwood sailed around me, and then he set us to some tasks. I went about mine silently, quietly thanking the teacher as he handed me a workbook to write my findings down in. I pulled my pencil case out, getting a pen out and jotting down my findings.

At least this guy next to me wasn't ogling my breathing shit. That was something I could live with. I saw a few other people around the room sneak glances at me before looking away hurriedly when I fixed them with the most withering stare I could manage. It wasn't hard. I merely narrowed my eyes and they were instantly uncomfortable. Good. I'd perfected that withering glaring stare over the years as I received stares.

A pen rolled into my line of sight and I frowned, looking up as the guy next to me reached it. He looked at me, and his dark brown eyes seemed to go wide, wider than I actually thought eyes could go. He dropped the pen from his grasp, the quiet sound of it clattering on the table doing little to break him from his gaping stare. I couldn't even narrow my eyes irritably at him. I seemed to be lost in his gaze, my eyes wide and searching for something themselves as though they could see right into his soul.

He eventually blinked, and I immediately ducked my head away. What was I thinking? And anyways, why had he started staring at me like that in the first place! I wasn't an animal in a cage for people to leer at. Fury spiked through me. _You also stared at him_ , my subconscious muttered disapprovingly before I willed it back into submission with an inward glare directed straight at its reared ugly head.

The boy, who I think his last name was Black or something like that, continued to stare while flexing his hands, almost as though he was fighting not to punch something. I almost wanted to scoff, and then after another twenty minutes of his seemingly endless staring at me, I snapped. "What?" I hissed in a low enough voice so that no one apart from this boy could hear me. He frowned, a slight tremor going through his russet coloured limbs. "Maybe if you take a fucking picture it'll last longer," I added, my frustration getting the better of me.

He reacted immediately. The chair gave a deafening roaring scrape as it was pushed backwards, the tall figure of this boy storming from the room regardless of Mr Redwoods protests that he needed to remain in class. I watched as the boy trembled, another boy coming out of the toilets and following him, calling after him, just as bulked up like the boy who'd been sitting next to me.

I kept my head down the rest of that lesson. I trembled, but with a certain sadness as though a part of me had been ripped away from me. I was shaking violently inside. I ignored looks from people as I rushed to lunch, knowing Carrie was waiting for me, and the fact that I couldn't take this school anymore, even after just two God damn lessons.

 **(W*W)**

I didn't even flinch as the needle penetrated my skin, Grams waiting patiently in a plastic chair on the other side of the examination room as I received my weekly transfusion. They didn't even bother me anymore. How could they? I lost count after over three hundred of them. I settled back on the bed, pulling my phone out and flicking through my text messages. I had a new, recent one from Carrie, so I opened the message.

 _You have no idea how boring English is right now without my favourite bestie beside me_ , it read, and I cracked a small smile at that, my one free hand already typing away a reply slowly. It took me a minute or two, but I got there. _You could always take my spot_ , I replied, and the response was instantaneous from my childhood best friend. _Hell to the absolute no_ , it read. _You can keep your needles away from me_.

I couldn't conceal the slight titter under my breath, and Grams glanced upwards in my direction, a small smile coming to her face. She sighed, placing her newspaper down onto the small table. "How is this whole school business going then?" She asked innocently. I sighed, giving her a pointed look. "You're so fishing for information to pass onto Dad." I accused mockingly and she chuckled, holding her wrinkled hands up in a teasing gesture. I couldn't help but smile every so slightly and she sighed softly, giving me a slight smile. "I do love that smile of yours. You need to use it more often. Show people that you are in fact human beneath that mask of yours." She commented wistfully and I sighed, poking at the tape that covered my syringe injected arm. "It's a little hard to smile when you know that you have limited time here, Grams, and the fact that I'm being made to spend that time in school instead of touring the world and seeing all those amazing wonders that I hear everyone talk about." I replied.

She chuckled quietly before her expression turned serious. "You know that if we had the money for that treatment, we would pay for it in a heartbeat, you do know that, right sweetheart?"

My throat constricted as that God awful lump rose up in it. "I know," I whispered, my eyes prickling with unshed tears. "I also know you and Dad have tried everything, done everything, and I know you guys are in debt because of all my medical bills. I know I'm not the easiest kid to necessarily deal with, and I'm so, so grateful to the both of you for doing all those things when you didn't have to do anything for me. You have no idea how much everything you guys have done means to me." I acknowledged.

I saw a multitude of emotions cross her dark brown eyes before she cleared her throat, nodding in a slightly unsteady manner. "I know," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "You're my life, Eleanora, and you better believe me when I say I wouldn't exchange you for all the riches in the world."

My heart broke a little at that but I withheld my salty tears as I schooled my features into a neutral expression. "I know, Grams, I know."


	3. Chapter 3

**_Jacob's point of view_**

Just under four more months and then I would be done with this hell called school. This was stupid. Why did I have to continue coming here? It wasn't as if I could leave the reservation now that I was a supersized wolf. To hell with Sam and his alpha orders, ordering me to go about as though nothing had happened. Why? It wasn't as though anyone had missed the fact I hadn't been at school for a month anyways. Yeah, cos obviously no one had missed that, had they?

I ignored the stares as I sat in Math class. Embry was beside me, lounging lazily back in the weak plastic chairs. He twirled his pen in his hand, well aware that he could probably crush it if he wanted to. Paul and Jared were somewhere, more than likely in Biology. Good for them. Better them that me, to be honest. I didn't fancy learning about bugs and shit.

Ms Waters droned on for a full hour about Math, saying how algebraic equations could help us to work things out later in life. Not likely. I wasn't going to find it at the bottom of a car I was rebuilding, or fixing if I managed to create that dream garage of mine. Not likely that though now as well considering every single second of my free time was taken up by running patrol. I couldn't even remember the last time I managed to get a good nights sleep to be honest.

Not since the leeches know as the Cullens came back, and ever since Bella went running straight back to him.

My expression must have betrayed what my current line of thought was for Embry delivered a sharp kick to my shin. I glared at him out of the corner of my eyes and he too shot me a warning look. "C'mon Jake, let it go. She wants to be with a leech and be dead, let her." He snarled under his breath, and I narrowed my gaze at him even more. She shouldn't want that _thing_ anyways. She could remain in touch with Charlie if she had chosen me, and she threw that away too like it didn't mean a single thing... Her own father, and she chose a dead killer over him.

I gave a violent shudder at that thought, but quelled it before it could turn into something else. No good exposing everyone here at school and causing something no one could go back from. Embry nodded beside me. "No use getting worked up for nothing," he mumbled, knowing I'd hear him when everyone else wouldn't and definitely couldn't.

Math passed quickly. I all but stormed from the classroom, Paul and Jared coming up to where both Embry and I stood at the lockers. The hothead flashed a sly grin at us both. "Could hear you trembling from the next room." He drawled, and I snorted. "Sure you weren't looking at some chick?" I fired back and he grinned with a snigger. "Probably. What you guys got next? I'm gonna bail. Sam wants me to run his patrol this afternoon and he'll take mine tonight." He stated.

I flipped open the planner that contained my timetable and groaned. "Fucking physics." I all but groaned. God Damn Redwood has always had it in for me, and considering we've just spent the last few minutes wasting time, I'm now late. Just great. Just fucking great.

Embry grinned, knowing fine well how much I hated physics. It was literally the worst subject ever. I stormed off into class, the old man behind the desk not even piercing me with his dark eyes like he usually did. I narrowed mine though and he sighed. "Take a seat, Mr Black." He motioned to one of the spare and only free chairs at the back of the classroom next to someone with dark black hair who had her face down so I couldn't see. Did someone new start while I was gone? Huh.

I took a seat next to her, and she kept her head down, reading some stupid notes she had in a notebook in front of her, her long black hair obscuring her face from my view. It didn't matter though. I didn't care. New girl or no new girl. She was certainly no one I recognised, although it was strange that she had two backpacks and carried both around with her, I noted, as I saw the red tartan design one on the floor beside her.

Redwood droned on for ages about matter and energy, something I would have no use for pulling cars apart and fixing them. I could see some others around the room sneaking glances in my direction, and after a moment I realised they weren't at me, but at the girl next to me. What was so interesting about her that I couldn't see?

We were set some tasks to do, and I unwillingly got down to doing them. I went to grab my pen but it rolled from my grasp before I could tighten my hold on it. I reached for it, the girl next to me looking up for the first time since I'd sat next to her, and my world stopped.

I could feel all the ties to other people severing in an instant as though someone had taken a pair of scissors to them all at once. I lost myself in the grey blue coloured wells that were her eyes, the pupils widening as she was fixed to my stunned gaze. I could feel it, I could feel myself being anchored to her and only her, a sudden, strange warmth filling my chest as I found myself anchored to this mystery girl and her only, not even Dad taking priority anymore in relation to who came first. Even though I knew how important the pack was after being part of it for just a month, even they came second to this girl.

But then reality hit, and I took in her appearance with a silent horror. She was stunningly beautiful with raven black hair that was slightly curly and reached past her shoulders, and with the typical native russet coloured skin and the thick, black lashes that framed her beautiful eyes with piercings adorning her ears at the top and along the outer edge of them, and one in her small nose, the slight shadow of a shape behind her ear making me realise she had a tattoo.

Then my eyes fell on something else. It was a thin clear tube that was taped under her nose, and now I knew why everyone had been staring. She was _sick_. The word felt as though it was burning in my mind. How could I have just found her and she be sick? I could see now why she had two backpacks though. I could feel her uncomfortableness under my stare, but I wasn't expecting what came next, not by a long shot.

Her grey blue eyes, burning with rage, focussed upon me as she suddenly turned her head in my direction, looking up at me considering I could tell there was quite a considerable height difference between us. " _What?"_ She all but spat in my direction. I certainly wasn't expecting that what so fucking ever. But it didn't stop there, and I lost it with her next comment. "Why don't you take a fucking picture it'll last longer!"

I shoved my chair backwards so hard that it crashed into the bookcase behind the desk, my body violently shaking immediately at her words. Rejection stung in my chest as I stormed out of the room, ignoring the cries of the old man behind the desk as he ordered me to stay in class and that I needed to. Jared burst from a nearby classroom after obviously hearing the deafening scrape of my chair as I violently pushed it back, and he pulled me out of the school and towards the forest that surrounded the back of the school. He didn't need to for I was already leaving. I wasn't meant to imprint on some random girl anyways, it was meant to be Bella, it had always been her, not someone I didn't know.

As soon as I was away from the view of the school, I all but exploded, Jared along with me. Instantly the voices of both Sam and Paul filled my head as I snarled, running through the endless underbrush and tall, majestic trees that were everywhere. The leaves were torn up beneath me as I thundered through the forest, skidding to a halt as pictures of the mystery girl filled my mind, plaguing my thoughts even as I willed them away from me.

Sam and Paul came into view just as Embry and Jared did, no doubt the latter having gone and pulled Embry from class and telling him what had happened. A pining noise ripped from within me, and Paul laughed in his head. _Look who went and imprinted,_ he laughed, the noise echoing around in my head. Seth and Leah were no doubt off doing something in their human forms as I couldn't hear their voices added to the mix of voices in my head.

I snarled in his direction, but he just continued laughing until Sam levelled him with a glare in his mind. I could feel him searching for what she looked like, and when he found her, he made a noise telepathically. _She isn't to know, yet. Not with the leeches having came back._

That wasn't what I wanted to hear, regardless of conflicted feelings. I snarled loudly and he snarled back instantly. _No, Jacob, not yet, but soon_ , he promised and I could feel the pain returning as I thought of her again, realizing just how sick she looked. Embry made a noise beside me, he too seeing what I was seeing. _C'mon Sam,_ he exclaimed after he too no doubt noticed the breathing tube that was taped under her small nose. Sam paused, he too looking at me memory of her face. _She looks like she's dying, but then again, doesn't he have a thing for dying chicks?_ I heard Paul say snidely, and that was it, I saw red.

I launched myself at him, snarling and lunging for his fur covered throat. He managed to flip up over, and then Sam was between us before anything real happened. He gave a deafening growl to Paul who was flat in an instant with an alpha command. I smirked inwardly, although inside what he'd said had made me look at her appearance again. She did look almost deathly sick...

 _I'm sure she isn't dying,_ Jared stated, giving Paul his own unimpressed stare despite how close they were. I could already feel the regret oozing from my fellow shifter as he slowly picked himself up from the ground, giving a half-hearted shake in order to shake leaves from his fur. It wasn't something I wanted to dwell on. I wanted to know her, and I knew Sam knew that too as he listened to the thoughts running through my mind. His wolf gave a shake. _You can approach her, Jake,_ he finally ordered, and I would've done circles from the happiness radiating from my wolf as he heard the news. _But,_ there it was... _She isn't to know of our existence until I deem it safe to_ , he finished. I could live with that, _for the moment_ , I added, knowing fine well he'd heard me from the slight rumble that echoed from me. I didn't care though.

I could get to know her.


	4. Chapter 4

Homework all done at last. I pushed the last sheet of the assigned work away from me, the constant beeping of the machines around me doing little to distract me from the fact that it would only be around half an hour before I went under the knife once more for a biopsy of my heart to see if it was deteriorating any quicker than they expected it to. If it was good news, I could probably go home tonight. If it wasn't, I probably wouldn't be home for a while. Lets just hope all turns out well.

Grams wasn't well, so she couldn't come here. She'd asked Sandra to take me here and pick me up afterwards. The woman was a lifesaver, I swear. She was always there, and had soothed me when I voiced my worries to her in the car, Carrie having already been dropped off at school. I was glad to not be in today. I was free from being subjected to the endless stares. No one had figured out what was wrong with me yet, and for that, I was thankful. But the rumours that were going around I wasn't thankful for. It was embarrassing and debilitating. I couldn't go a single day without hearing something new about what everyone thought was wrong with me.

Dorothea came ambling into the small hospital room, the familiar little cardboard dish in her hands. I merely stuck my hand out and she chuckled. "Normally my patients aren't so eager for this part." She teased and I chuckled back, a small smile on my face, crinkling the tape under my nose. "Well we both know I'm not a normal patient." I quipped back and she tittered, opening the sterile packet that held the syringe. "No I guess you aren't, dearie. How's my little Eleanora feeling today?"

I sighed as she took my hand. "Surviving. Dad said he'll make it back for my birthday." I announced and she gave me a beaming smile. "Well isn't that great news then? Only three months and a fortnight to go until you see him again then!" She exclaimed and I smiled, it soon dropping from my face. "If I even live that long."

She swatted my arm lightly before going back to putting the IV line into the back of my hand. "Hey now, none of that." She lightly admonished and I snorted. "True though. We both know I'm going to die regardless." I pointed out and she finished with the IV line, pausing for a moment before she took a seat on the bed beside me. "Do you believe in miracles, Eleanora?"

I scoffed rudely. "If miracles existed, I wouldn't be dead before the age of seventeen." I stated and she hummed softly, rubbing a hand up and down my arm. "Well I do," she answered firmly, staring me straight in my eyes. "And I think you're going to live for a very long time because of it."

My eyes rolled but I didn't say anything. She patted my knee before standing. "Dr Cullen will be in soon." She stated and I nodded, already knowing that the blonde haired doctor with the liquid gold eyes had returned for a short while to tie up some loose ends he had, one of those apparently being myself. What can I say? I'm just fabulous.

I sat there for about twenty minutes, swinging my legs back and forth childishly as I waited for the good doctor. I didn't have to wait longer than that, for he came in with a warm smile, wearing his all too familiar white lab coat. I smiled back and soon we were off after a few brisk questions on how I was doing and feeling.

We walked out of the room, and I stopped short. There was that boy from school, the one who I hadn't seen since he stormed from the classroom after I angrily snapped at him to stop looking at me. He saw me too, and then his eyes fell to Dr Cullen who saw him to. He gave him a polite nod. "Jacob, Billy." He also addressed the man who say beside _Jacob_ in a sleek black wheelchair, something I've been in numerous times when I was too weak to walk on my own two legs. The old man gave a sharp tilt of his head in a greeting back, and I distinctly got the impression that while they tolerated each other and were civil, they definitely weren't friends.

Dr Cullen suddenly let out a grumble under his chest. "I've left some of my notes in my office," he explained before giving me an apologetic look. I nodded understandingly. "That's fine. I can wait here if you want, anything to give me a few more moments to steel myself." I joked and he chuckled, nodding before walking off down the corridor at an almost inhuman pace.

I felt eyes on me and saw Jacob staring at me. He muttered something to his Dad, at least who I assumed was his Dad, before walking over to me. I clenched my jaw. Just how was this going to go? I didn't want to spend my last few uncut-open minutes talking to _him_.

He was silent for a moment before glancing at me, and he noticed the leaf tattoos on both of my wrists. "Nice ink," he muttered and I snorted before looking at him. "You're trying to talk to me and the first thing you say is 'nice ink'? Real nice one there." I commented sarcastically and he cracked a slight grin. "I don't know what to say. I've been snapped at before by you so forgive me if I'm a little wary of talking to you." He joked.

I don't know why but I cracked a small smile at that and his grin widened. "Oh so she is human and smiles!" He joked and I hummed, the smile going away a little bit. "Yeah, well, you were staring." I pointed out. "I hate it when I'm stared at. Why, just because I have a nasal respirator I need to be leered at like some freak in a cage? No, sorry, I won't put up with that, no way. I'm not some freak to be stared at. I'm sick, not stupid, and I'm sorry right, but if you stare at me after noticing I'm clearly uncomfortable with it, then yes, you're going to be snapped and swore at." I stated bluntly.

He hummed, and then Dr Cullen came back, a sudden tremor rippling through him as he stared at the golden haired doctor returned. He gave me a warm smile. "All ready for you Eleanora." He announced and I shot a look at Jacob to find him looking at me again. "Maybe if you stop staring at me, I'll do more than snap at you." I explained and he gave a rigid nod after a moment. I turned on my heel and followed after Dr Cullen, already knowing what was awaiting me as I stepped through those all too familiar double doors up ahead, leaving everything behind.

 **(W*W)**

My chest was sore as the painkillers began to wear off, the thick crocheted blanket that usually rested on the back of the couch swaddled tightly around me considering I was finding it hard to walk up the stairs, and this was where I usually stayed when I had an operation anyways as an outpatient -the lounge sofa bed.

It was the comfiest thing ever, especially when Grams placed layer upon layer of sheets and blankets upon its mattress. It was pure heaven, and a much needed sleeping place after a day filled full of needles and pain. I pulled the blanket off of me, suddenly way too hot to remain in the stuffy house. I grabbed my backpack that always contained my small oxygen tank that was replaced frequently, and my hat, gloves and scarf, before I stepped out into the cool April night air.

Where we lived, it was beautiful. Surrounded by forest, it was ideal for landscape drawings that I loved to do in my free time, but it was also soothingly peaceful and calm. I could breathe here without fear that I would be stared at or judged based on my appearance. I was calming, and sue me if I didn't love it.

The old trees creaked and groaned in the gentle wind that was blowing through the night. It wasn't that late, about half nine, but it sure was dark, and I ambled forward, something compelling me almost. I stared around me into the dark forest and at the darkness that surrounded me as a whole. It was so peaceful, yet creepy at the same time.

A soft rumbling growl pulled me from my innermost thoughts. My head snapped over in the direction of the forest to my right as the snapping of fallen branches alerted me to the fact that I wasn't alone anymore in my thoughts. I shivered. Had it always been this cold?

Dark eyes peered at me from the darkness, and a gigantic wolf covered in russet copper coloured fur stole my attention and my breath in the same instant. But I wasn't afraid. Anyone else would've been absolutely terrified, but not me. What did I have to fear anymore now that I was already dying?

It didn't seem dangerous though... A pining whine slipped through those sharp teeth and it crouched, laying flat down on its belly. I watched the animal with bated breath, almost waiting for it to strike me down, but it never did.

I moved with a cautious slowness, not stopping until I was in front of this giant copper coloured wolf. Was this a dream? I reached out, giving a soft squeal of disgust as it licked my hand. "Ew!" I exclaimed through my tough to get out laughter, my lungs fighting to keep breathing as I laughed, taking up the precious oxygen I always fought so hard for.

The wolf nuzzled my hand, and I smiled slightly. "You know, I think you're the only one who hasn't looked at me with pity." I murmured, and it cocked its giant furry head to the side as though it was listening. I smiled a little more again. "I just wish I was a normal kid. I never wanted all of this, you know? What kid wants leukaemia when your Dad has worked his ass off just to keep you alive all these years, only to then be told that he can't afford the treatment needed to save me?" I whispered, running my shaking fingers through that oh so soft fur. It purred, and I smiled. "Not me." I added in a hoarse whisper.

Its dark brown eyes seemed to fill with pain as it heard those words, and I sighed, my breath fogging in the cold air. "But then again, probably would have a strengthened immune system had my unborn self not been pumped full of illegal drugs..." I trailed off and this seemed to infuriate the wolf for it snarled under its breath, and I instantly pulled back my hand for the fear that it'd bite it off. It stopped in an instant though, whining again.

I placed my hand back on its fur before sighing once again and then scoffing. "Why am I even telling this to a wolf of all things?" I exclaimed out loud, the said creature nuzzling my hand with its wet nose. I sighed. "Just shows how desperate I am to have someone listen to me," I muttered, and it perked up a little bit, nuzzling my cold hand once more before giving me a nudge back to the house behind me. I shook my head but it gave me another one, and this time I saw Grams bedroom light flicker on, and panic filled me, but before I could shoo the giant wolf away, it was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

The sun warmed my skin in a rare warm day as I sat outside of the porch, both Grams and I having just returned from a checkup. Same old same old, as it had turned out. Was my heart deteriorating quicker? Not so much. Were my kidneys still failing and did I need more dialysis? Yes. Was the cancer still there and spreading? Yes. I had two months to begin treatment or it would be past the point of no return and I could never be cured regardless of treatment.

Grams sighed as she came out onto the backyard porch, Carrie trailing behind her. My best friend took a seat beside me, giving my free hand the gentlest of squeezes. "Hey Nora," she whispered as I leant into the hug she offered. She sighed softly, hugging me back and not moving away regardless of how I was trembling slightly.

Both of them took a seat either side of me, and Carrie smiled slightly. "You know, Black was asking after you at school," she hinted and I rolled my eyes. "Sure he was. Why won't he just leave me alone? Like what is his problem? He stares at me like I've been lost to him for a thousand years or something, or like he's a blind man seeing the sun for the first time!" I exclaimed.

She was silent for a moment before Grams started chuckling, and I saw her give Carrie a sneaky wink over the top of my head. "Is there a boy that's taken an interest in you that I don't know about?" The older woman asked and I sighed, my mouth twisting into an unladylike scowl. "I don't think so." I muttered sulkily and Grams nudged me. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"

I scoffed. "What is there to tell anyone about? I've spoken to him all of two times, and he stares at me like I'm his everything. I'm not a charity case for him to gain popularity on, and I won't be seen as one by the other students either. I'm sorry, Grams, but that's just the way it is. I won't be seen like that regardless of how long I have left on this earth." I responded and my best friend gave my arm a sharp nudge. "Hey, you know you aren't one of those anyways." She soothed.

My shoulders shrugged loosely. "Yeah, to you guys and those I love, but to strangers? All they see is a sick teenage girl with her nasal respirator whose covered in tats and piercings and looks like a freak whose a dead man walking, for lack of better words." I concluded.

They were both silent for a moment after that, and then Carrie sighed. "You know, have you ever considered the fact that you could make yourself happy for however long you have left, as awful as that sounds?" She whispered.

I shrugged again. "Yeah, but I'm not going to hurt someone else all because of the fact that I wanted to be happy before I died." I whispered.

 **(W*W)**

School was pleasant enough. I managed to make it through Math, and then came one of my absolute favourite lessons -Arts and craft.

Emily Young was a beautiful woman despite the gruesome scars down the side of her face. She only taught one day a week, and I was lucky enough to be in her class. Her knowledge of the Quileute tribe art and traditions was amazing, and I took in her knowledge like someone starved of water. I loved art. I loved it more than anything. It was and still was my escape from the harshness that was my reality.

I lost myself in my drawing, my hand travelling as though it had a mind of its own. I relished this free time away from actual learning. Sure this was learning, but it was a special kind of learning in its own unique way, and sue me if I didn't love it.

Things hadn't been the same since Grams and Carrie had brought up a certain tall guy. I didn't particularly want to talk about it. So he had been asking after me? So what. Dozens of others had over the years. What made him so special? I didn't need or want anyone else to get all caught up and tangled in my web of ultimate despair that would be my eventual outcome. Who was I to rob someone of happiness as they watched me get lowered into the dirt? That wasn't fair on them, and it wasn't fair on me to get my hopes up at a chance of happiness either.

I could feel his eyes on me as I sketched. It wasn't anything new. He always watched me, always as though he was making sure I was safe and still breathing. Emily was making her rounds around the room, and she stopped next to me, smiling down at me as I remained sketching. "A unique choice of artistry," she mused, taking a seat beside me. I glanced at her and then back at my drawling, startled when I realised I had drawn the russet coloured wolf from nights ago, a beast of an animal that I'd been sneaking out to see for six times now, every two nights since I'd first laid eyes upon it.

She turned the paper around to look at it properly before she furrowed her brows; I spun it back around to face me, folding it up and hiding it in my workbook that I carried with me everywhere. I smiled tightly, the tube taped under my nose crinkling. "You know, probably just something my ever imaginative mind cooked up. Is it alright if I go get some air?" I answered quickly and she smiled as though she knew some deep dark secret before nodding. "Sure. You looked like you were almost done anyways. Take your time." She replied.

I'd never left so quickly.

Fresh, sea air was an absolute blessing as I took a seat on a bench. I inhaled it gently, careful not to overtax my already failing lungs. Why had I drawn that wolf? Why did I even feel compelled to go out to him at night? It was as though I was drawn to his very essence and I had no clue why...

I sat in silence for a while, the cool breeze ruffling my long raven tresses. It was nice to be alone for a while. No one checking up on me, looking at every little move I made and asking if I was alright with every single breath I took. That was complete and utter heaven to me.

Someone took a seat beside me, jarring me from my ever so and not so much now peaceful thoughts. I glanced to my left and frowned. "Is there something I can help you with?" I asked the guy who'd been lookin non-stop at me in class, and I received an easy smile in return. "No. Emily asked me to come out here and check on you. Been out here for ten minutes and she was wondering if you were alright." He stated and I glanced at him in surprise. "Ten minutes? Huh." I repeated before facing straight ahead once more. "Time goes by fast when you're thinking, I guess." I mumbled.

He was silent before he cleared his throat awkwardly. "I also have something to ask you." He announced and I glanced at him with a frown, wondering what on earth he had to ask me. "Shoot." I replied and he grinned before schooling his features. "I saw some of your artwork in a previous class." He said and before I could answer, he continued. "You an X-men fan?"

I knew which artwork he was talking about then and I nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, guess you could say that. Why you asking?" I replied and he grinned again. "Number three comes out in three weeks, and I was wondering if you would like to come and see it with me?"

My heart froze in my chest, something that would normally concern me, and my stomach curdled. I immediately shook my head. "I can't," I whispered, my voice all but vanishing. He frowned. "Why not?" He asked and I swallowed. _Give it to him hard, and hopefully he'd leave me alone, and wouldn't get hurt in the process._

Time to shut this down before he, _either of us_ , began hoping for miracles that just wouldn't happen.

I swallowed the rising lump as I spoke. "Because I'm dying, Jacob, and it isn't fair to get attached or make friends with anyone. I don't want anyone else hurt. Carrie, Grams, Dad, Carrie's Mom, they'll all be devastated, and I refuse to add another person to that list. You don't deserve to be hurt, I don't deserve to get my hopes up for a miracle that I know will never happen, and I certainly won't get attached." I retorted before standing up, albeit a little woozily, and heading back to the classroom, praying no one would see the tears in my eyes as I did.

 **(W*W)**

Carrie heard about what happened, and she came over the next night considering I skipped the next day. How she'd found out, I had no clue, but she had, and she came regardless of the fact I didn't feel up to visitors right now at the present moment. I was snuggled up in bed, the double bed around me seeming huge despite the fact it wasn't. She came into my room and pulled back my cocoon of protection from the outside world, climbing in beside me and cuddling up to me, taking the utmost care not to disturb my breathing equipment.

We were both silent for a moment before she spoke, her eyes boring into mine. "You wounded him bad, Nora." She whispered, her expression one of sadness. I shrugged numbly. "I told him the truth." I whispered back and she sighed softly. "I know you did, but he only wants to get to know you, see you for who you really are." She replied and I shrugged again. "I don't want anyone other than you guys to know me for who I really am. I refuse to make another person hurt by my ultimate death." I exclaimed and she hummed. "Well I think you should have told him yes, regardless of whether he was asking you out on a date or not. You need to get out, and I don't mean taking trips around the reservation and Forks with me and your Grams." She admonished.

She gave me a gentle squeeze. "C'mon, tell him yes. What do you have to lose? Tell him you'll do it strictly as a friends thing." She stated and I snorted, the sound strange coming from my nose. "We aren't even friends. I only need you. I don't want anyone else hurt!" I replied fiercely and she raised a brow, rolling her eyes. "People will be hurt regardless, Eleanora." She clipped.

I sat up in bed, struggling a little before she helped me. She sat up too. "Nora please!" She pleaded, her eyes wide. "Give it a go, just once. You never know what'll happen until you give it a go." She reminded me and I swallowed, averting my gaze from her as she quoted what Dad had said over the years about the various treatments I'd endured.

My eyes drifted to the phone on my bedside cabinet, always there dutifully in case I needed drastic help and couldn't move or call out for help within the house. I could call Dad, see what he thought. _That would be a good idea_ , I think.

She seemed to follow my line of thought as she nodded with a small smile. "Call him, see what he thinks. I know you value his opinion above everything else in this world." She said gently and I nodded, already picking up the phone while she mumbled that she'd go outside to give me some privacy. I punched in the familiar number, holding it to my ear -it picked up immediately, and I took a breath. "Daddy, I need your opinion on something." I whispered, my eyes fixed onto my lap and the trembling hand that cradled it.


	6. Chapter 6

My head throbbed as I sat in class, Ms Waters droning on about how Victorian era writers shaped literature as we now knew it. Carrie was at the front of the class, twirling her pen around her fingers repeatedly, listening to the woman standing at the front of the class with her utmost attention. Literature had always been something she loved. Me, not so much.

Five minutes before next period started, as usual, I was allowed to leave. I ignored the common glances that were sent towards me. They didn't change. Some people thought I over exaggerated the fact that I struggled with every single breath I managed to take, but they didn't know what was going on inside my failing body. If they knew, they wouldn't make such ridiculous assumptions.

I walked silently, There wasn't far to go, only about a hundred feet, but it felt like a hundred thousand miles. I swallowed the phlegm that my mouth threatened to cough up, taking a deep breath and pushing on.

A warm hand took hold on the crook of my elbow and I glanced wearily to the left, my light coloured eyes meeting dark yet warm chocolate brown ones.

Jacob gave me a slight smile. "You alright?" He asked with a slight frown and I nodded after a moment, taking a breather, no pun intended, to catch my breath. "Yeah, I'm good," I whispered, not disclosing the fact that everything was going fuzzy before my eyes. He hummed as though he didn't quite believe me. "Well my class ended a few minutes early, so what do you say I help you over to Physics considering you look like you're about to pass out?" He stated.

Pushing back the snide thought that I wasn't an invalid and managed just fine for the sake of my health, I just nodded and his grip on my arm tightened a little bit as he began to help me to the classroom that was just within sight down the somewhat soon to be cramped corridor. Kids of all ages came here, all the way up to eighteen.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye before I spoke. "I'll go with you," I murmured and his own eyes moved towards me, the chocolate brown colour warm and inviting towards me. I cleared my throat a little, praying I didn't barf all over him. "I'll go see that movie with you, if you still want to of course?" I added.

The grin that appeared on his face caused a strange feeling inside, something I quickly buried before it could be revealed. Hell, even his eyes seemed to be grinning at me! "Great!" He replied, opening up the classroom door as we came towards it. I gently sat down in my chair that he pulled out before he took a seat next to me, the bell ringing to signal that everyone else had finished in their respective classes.

He turned to face me as soon as he took his own seat. "So, where do I need to pick you up from then?" He asked and a slow frown spread across my face as I thought about the day the movie came out which was the 27th of this month. Two weeks and a day exactly. Shit. I was having a transfusion early in the morning.

My mind drifted to the conversation I'd had with Dad; he'd told me to take a leap of faith, so to speak, and to try going outside of my comfort zone for once, just to see how it felt. Here it goes to those oh so not wise words.

"Uh, I'm having a transfusion in the morning at Forks hospital," I mumbled, not wanting to everyone else who was slowly coming in to hear what I was saying. He nodded. "Dad has another appointment for his diabetes then too in the morning." He revealed and I supressed a slight smile. "What great timing, huh?" He added and I actually surprised myself by letting out the most genuine, soft sounding quiet laugh that I'd given in a long, long time. "Yeah, I guess so."

He smiled slightly before nodding. "I can drop Dad off back home and then pick you up from there afterwards if you want?" He asked and I nodded with a slight smile, hoping this wasn't going to turn into something other than friends hanging out. I wasn't doing it for that, I hoped.


	7. Chapter 7

Rain pelted down around me as I stood under one of the many overhang shelters at Forks Hospital, my arm a little sore from the transfusion considering they had to try and get the needle in on its own a mighty few times. I had an umbrella with me after Grams spotted the weather forecast, but I was shielded well from the rain here, so I had no need to put the umbrella up, _yet_.

I glanced at my phone. **12:19**. Not long. He said he'd be back here around twenty-five past anyways, so at the most, I probably had six minutes, maybe seven to wait in total. Not bad. I glanced at the rain, people running hurriedly through it so they didn't get wet. I wasn't allowed to get wet regardless unless it was a bath or shower, and even then, it had to be done with the utmost carefulness -hair had to be dried immediately, the room had to be warm without even the hint of a chill, or I'd end up in the building behind me, in a room, fluid getting drained out of my lungs which wasn't a pleasant process whatsoever. I dreaded that happening, so, no getting cold whatsoever.

A horn sounding shook me from my daze before I glanced towards the direction it came from. There was a black pickup sitting there, and I spied Jacob inside of it before he got out and came over, wearing nothing but jeans, boots and a short sleeved t-shirt. Short sleeved! How wasn't he freezing? He closed a hot hand around my wrist, gently though considering he knew I'd had a transfusion but probably not where it was, and he put up an umbrella I hadn't seen in his hand. I walked with him, the both of us silent as we hurried back to the waiting vehicle, and he opened my door before ushering me inside the cabin, slamming my door behind me as he out the rain repelling device down before climbing in himself.

He flashed me an easy grin before reaching over me for the heater. He turned it up full blast. "There you go," he stated, hot air blasting when he moved his hand away from it. I revelled in the warmth, holding my hands over it as soon as I pulled my seatbelt on. He eased the truck out of the hospital parking lot, and I was surprised by how well he knew how to drive. I couldn't even learn or take classes yet considering I wasn't sixteen for another two months and four days, and I wasn't willing to learn either considering it cost money that we just didn't have, not with my endless bills and whatever.

Jacob glanced at me. "You warm enough?" He pressed and I nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, I'm good. So, what time is the viewing then?"

He looked at the dashboard briefly before turning his eyes back to the road ahead of him. "Well, it takes an hour and a bit to get to Port Angeles, and its just before half twelve now. You want to get food beforehand or after?"

I thought for a moment before I glanced at him with a shy smile. "Uh, both?" I asked and he laughed. "Good. We'll go through some fast food place beforehand if that's cool with you, and then I think I can find somewhere nicer afterwards if you want?"

My head bobbed before I could stop it. "Nicer afterwards sounds cool, but I have curfew at nine as Grams needs to change my tank over." I explained, patting the rucksack at my feet that held my trusty oxygen tank when he frowned, confused. He then made an ahing noise and nodded, getting it now. "We'll be well back before then, no worries. So, what do you wanna talk about while we get there? Still got over an hour left." He asked.

I shrugged. "You pick."

He grinned, glancing at me before back to the road once more. "How about we tell each other a little bit about ourselves? We don't push for more details than the other one wants to reveal." He suggested and I nodded. "Okay," I agreed. "You first."

"I was born on the 14th of January in 1990." He began. _So that would make him sixteen already, obviously considering that was the age you had to be to drive in the state of Washington..._ He shrugged. "I enjoy fixing cars up, or just any vehicle whatsoever, I have two older sisters who're twins -Rachel and Rebecca- and Dad." He paused for a moment, flexing his hands on the wheel before he continued. "Mom died when I was nine in a car accident." He added, although a little quieter than he'd done before.

Horror spiked through me. "I'm so sorry," I whispered and he nodded solemnly before glancing at me. "Your turn."

I swallowed before speaking. What could I tell him? Basic stuff, I guess. "I was born on the 31st of July in 1990. I also like cars, and when I was younger before Dad went to work in different state, he used to take my mind off of things by allowing me to tinker with an old pickup he used to have. I live with my Grams, my Dad is my hero." I added with a small smile.

He grinned. "Yeah, my Dad is pretty cool. So, you aren't sixteen yet then?" He asked and I shook my head with a soft sigh. "Nope." I replied and he then flashed me an easier grin than the last one. "So, how'd you get all those piercings then?"

I grinned at that. "By being sneaky." I quipped back and he laughed. "Guess so. So, just how many tats do you have?" He inquired and I hummed. "Six." I answered.

That startled him a little before I gave his arm a nudge where I could see the edge of his own peeking out from under his sleeve. "Uh, I see your ink just fine, thank you." I stated and he nodded. "The only one I have. A bunch of my friends have the same one." He explained and I nodded. "Well I got mine because I was rebelling, I guess." I concluded and he chuckled. "You, rebelling? That I'd have to see." He joked and I narrowed my eyes. "Uh, I can disobey people, you know."

He nodded with another chuckle. "Yeah, I think I can tell a little bit now. So, just what kind of ink do you have?"

I grinned cheekily, thoroughly starting to enjoy myself, against how I'd thought when I pulled myself from bed this morning. "You don't get to know that, yet."

I actually couldn't believe that had just came from my mouth. My big, fat mouth. He looked over at me as we came to a deserted stretch of road. "Yet? Now that implies we might be doing this again." He stated and I hummed, my cheeks slightly tinted pink. He glanced at my ear where one of my rose ones were located. "I can see one behind your ear and piercings." He observed. He looked at where my coat had slipped down off my right shoulder. "I can see what looks like the wing of a small bird." He added and I pulled it back up, relaxing into my seat so it stayed there and covered everything. "Yup, that's one of my quotes I got when I just turned fifteen. One of the first ones I got. I got my rose one behind the ear done about seven months ago. Haven't got anymore since then, or piercings for that matter." I added and he nodded.

The roads were surprisingly quiet as he drove to Port Angeles, the pretty city blooming in the distance as the clock ticked onto ten past one. He pulled outside a McDonald's, the sweet smell of greasy food that I was rarely ever allowed clogging up my senses. I asked for nuggets as it was one of my favourite things when I was allowed fast food, and he got himself like four double cheeseburgers and two large fries. I was a little shocked. If that was what he ate, in portions with calories like that, how wasn't he like, well, fat?!

I ate my nuggets, savouring every sweet bite of the battered chicken. He glanced at me during this with a slight smirk. "Don't get fast food often, let me guess?"

My cheeks flamed. "How'd you guess?" I laughed, popping a fry into my mouth. He grinned. "You look like you're in heaven." His smile wavered for a moment, wondering if I would perhaps get uncomfortable by the mention of a possible hereafter, but I nodded. I wouldn't let on that I had caught his hesitation -I was having too good a time right now to even care anyways.

"I am! I'm not allowed it like ever. Most of the time I eat healthy stuff, just to make sure I don't clog anything or make something worse as Dad puts it. Don't get me wrong, I love my steamed stuff, salads, organic stuff and whatnot, but I mean, what teenager doesn't love battered nuggets and greasy fries?"

He wrinkled his nose at the mention of steamed vegetables, the expression making me laugh, the action turning into a cough though. He shot into action, gently rubbing my back before I could even blink. He reached into my rucksack that I'd opened to get my money out of and I heard him turn up the oxygen, making me wonder just how he knew to do that. He caught my searching gaze before giving me a sheepish smile. "One of my friends moms is a nurse. I asked her for a little help on what to do should you have a bad coughing fit or something, and she told me to do that." He then paused. "I didn't do anything bad, right?"

I regained my breath before shaking my head. "No," I whispered, adjusting the respirator that was usually taped under my nose. "You probably just saved me a trip to the hospital." His eyes widened and that before he nodded, a little more concerned than before.

 **(W*W)**

For the tenth time since the movie started, which was well over an hour ago, I averted my gaze to my knotted hands, all too aware of the girls who were glancing repeatedly at me, giggling behind their hands to each other. I swallowed my tears of shame. What exactly was so freakish about me that I merely couldn't go anywhere without being stared at?

Oh yeah, the tube under my nose that told everyone I was a dead girl walking.

I glanced at Jacob who seemed to be shaking in his seat. We were seated right at the back in the middle, and it was surprisingly empty. I averted my gaze before willing myself to speak. "I want to go," I whispered, tears pooling in my eyes. He looked at me, his angry expression softening before he nodded, gently taking my hand and pulling me up out of my seat, ignoring the angry murmurs of the other viewers as we _dared_ to walk in their line of sight to the big screen.

Tears started to bubble down my cheeks though as we stepped outside the theatre, the laughter following us telling me that the girls had also left. I saw red hot anger flash across his face, and he turned around abruptly before I could plead at him to just leave it, that I was used to the stares, whispers behind hands and giggles that were sure to follow.

"Hey!" Came his angry shout while I pulled up the umbrella he'd thrust into my hand, it already half up. My hands shook, but I eventually got it up, and I watched tearfully as he ripped the group a new one.

He towered over them too. " _She's dying_!" I heard him snap, and a few of them balked, but a couple of them didn't even flinch at that, so he continued. " _Yeah, exactly that. You see, I don't care if she is or not, because she's still worth more than all of you put together. So when you think of this, maybe in a years time, just remember you laughed at someone who didn't ask for their life to be cruelly cut short and who might not be here still_." He snarled before storming back to me, making sure I had the umbrella covering me properly before he placed an arm around me, leading me away from the catty girls who were now standing, looking almost as though he'd levelled a punch that rivalled others to their guts.

 **(W*W)**

He found a little place, somewhere off the beaten path, but somewhere that I liked, _a lot,_ actually. I just got something small -a few pieces of garlic bread topped with yummy, gooey cheese and ham, something that tasted as delicious as it sounded. He got the same, the mammoth portion that he'd gotten earlier nowhere in sight. I sighed after a moment, having just finished my second slice. "You know, you didn't have to do that back there." I said nervously, my fingers twisting anxiously beneath the stark white tablecloth.

Dark brown eyes looked to me and their owner gave a scowl, although I didn't think, after a moment or two, that it was in any way, shape or form, directed towards me in particular. "Yes, I did. It isn't right. You can't help that you're sick," he stated firmly and it brought a small smile to my face. "You know, other than Carrie, no one has ever defended me like that. Grams and Dad just move me away from it as it rarely happens when I'm out with them." I confessed.

And then I remembered something. "Did you really mean that? That I'm worth more than all of them put together?" I asked quietly and he nodded without even the slightest hesitation. "Of course."

"But you barely know me," I whispered softly, my eyes wide.

He shrugged. "I hope to change that, Eleanora." He acknowledged and I swallowed the fear that was slowly starting to bubble in my chest. "I want to get to know you, underneath the wall I know you've built up over the years to stop other people getting hurt, as you put it when I asked you out the first time. Look, I'm not asking for you to suddenly fall madly in love with me," I had been taking a drink and coughed at that, my eyes wide when I quickly recovered myself before he needed to help me again. He grinned after seeing I was alright. "I just want to get to know you properly, and maybe, if you let it, it could be something else, but right now, it doesn't have to even remotely resemble that. We could just be friends who casually go places together, if that's what you want to call it." He stated.

I nodded with a small smile after a moment. "Yeah," I whispered, the small smile growing just a little. "I think I'd actually like that."

 **(W*W)**

True to his word, he got me back before nine, well, before eight, and I gave him my address. He helped me out, rain still pouring down around us as he opened the umbrella before he opened the truck door and helped me out into the cold. For it being almost summer, the rain just didn't seem to want to let up whatsoever.

I was glad the porch had a cover to it as I stepped inside, Jacob having followed me to make sure I didn't get wet one little bit, something I greatly appreciated. He made to leave but then stopped, pulling something out of his pocket. He pressed it into my cold hands. "Here, but only if you really want it," he added before flashing me a secretive grin and bounding off towards the truck which was waiting silently in the downpour, giving a one armed wave before he sounded the horn once and pulled away.

Grams opened the door before I did, no doubt having been keeping watch. She gently helped me inside, taking in my rosy cheeks with a soft laugh. "I guess you had a good time then?" She asked as she helped me out of my coat, hanging it up before guiding me over to the couch to help me get my heeled boots off. As she did, I looked at what had been pressed into my trembling hands, the warmth slowly heating them up. It was a wad of paper, which I carefully unravelled, a small smile blooming across my face.

 _Check your phone. Got it from Carrie, hope you don't mind._

As if on cue, my phone chimed, a message from an unknown number popping up. I opened it quickly, reading it just as quick. _Hope you enjoyed today_ , it read. _How about we make it fixing up an old car next time on Saturday next week? I'm free if you are. Don't catch a chill._

I smiled down at Grams as she pulled the last boot off, hugging both my phone and the piece of paper to my chest, and she laughed too, her eyes shining with unshed tears as she took in the first actual smile she'd seen in months. "It went great, Grams," I whispered. "It went great."


	8. Chapter 8

Considering we were broke up for the holidays, and we actually had a hot day with little wind on the reservation, Grams actually let me go to the beach! I hadn't been in years, not since it became worse, and boy, was I looking forward to this little outing, even though it wouldn't be probably over an hour there. Grams was nothing if not cautious and thorough.

Hot sand came between my bare feet, and I couldn't contain my small smile. I walked slowly, relishing in the feel of the gritty powder beneath my feet, my sandals left beside Grams as she sat a little bit further up the beach, content to watch me closely and carefully to ensure I had some freedom but that I wasn't in any danger.

There was a group of people a little further up the beach, a few of them kicking a ball about. I turned my eyes away from them and to the swirling, frothing waves ahead of me that I couldn't step into, only smell. I inhaled slowly, the clean salt air making me feel alive even more.

My phone chimed in my left hand where I was holding it, and I opened the message with a slowly appearing smile.

 _That you down the beach, or am I imagining things?_

Jacob. I couldn't even count the amount of messages that'd been exchanged since Saturday, and it was only Wednesday. I grinned as I typed out a reply. _Must totally be imagining things as I can't see you anywhere on this beach right now,_ I replied. I glanced around me, only to then spot someone breaking away from that group further up the beach, that small cluster of people I had noticed not a few minutes ago.

He reached me in less than three minutes, and I smiled widely as he approached. "Hey," I greeted and he grinned. "Hey back. I thought you couldn't come to the beach."

I beamed cheerfully. "Well, considering its like a mega hot day with little wind, and Grams is here with me, keeping an eye on me," I gestured to where the older woman sat, and she gave a short wave back before going back to talking on her phone. Dad, I think, as he said he'd ring today to check up on how I was doing.

Jacob made an ahing noise at the back of his throat. "Got ya. We still on for Saturday?" He asked and I nodded with wide eyes. "Uh, yeah. Did you really think I'd pass up the opportunity to mess with some car?" I exclaimed and he laughed, showing a smile of perfect white teeth. "No, I didn't think you would. So, how'd the check-up go then? You said you were a bit iffy, the word I think you used, about it."

He sat down about seven metres from the lapping water, and patted the ground beside him. I took the seat next to him before sighing. "Not good, I guess." I whispered softly, the wind carrying those words away, but I knew he'd heard. "I have just over a month before the cancer becomes irreversible, and I'm now in need of a kidney transplant, amongst other things. Dad is stressed out, Grams wouldn't stop crying as now its starting to hit home, I think. Treatment is way too expensive and I've refused it anyways."

That seemed to catch his attention. "Refused it?"

I nodded. "Yeah. What is actually the point? At the way my heart, kidney and lungs are deteriorating, I'll be long gone before the cancer ever did it." I explained, and he gave a violent tremor before it was gone, leaving me to wonder if I'd imagined it. He gave me a look that I could only describe as desperation. "But what if by some miracle you could be healed? You know, have the transplants and the only thing standing in your way to full health was the cancer? Would you take it then?"

That made me think for a moment. I was silent for a few minutes before I spoke. "You know, five months ago, I would have said no, but now? Uh, I don't now. They've looked everywhere for a kidney and haven't found one that meets my requirements. They don't just grow on trees you know. They say my heart will start to fail in about seven months, and after that, game over." I murmured and he swallowed. "So if the chance came, you'd take it?"

I looked at him, before giving a short nod. "Yeah, I think I would. Why do you ask?"

He gave me a small smile in return, "Just curious, that's all." His hand covered my linked ones that were resting limply in my lap. He grasped my hand, running his warm fingers over the inked leaved that covered my throbbing pulse. I smiled slightly. He then grinned, looking at my uncovered shoulders too. "See, knew you had ink on your shoulders." He teased.

I smiled widely, my respirator crinkling under my nose. "I have it in many places." I teased back and he grinned. "Whereabouts exactly is this ink that I can't see then?"

My smile widened. "You don't get to know that, _yet_." I replied and he smirked slightly, giving a quick chuckle and a shake of his head before he looked back towards the rolling waves. "So I'm here with Grams, but who exactly are you here with?" I asked after a moment of easy silence, and he grinned at that, glancing back up the beach towards the group of people he'd come from.

"Remember the pack of buddies I told you had the same tattoo as me? I'm with them, and some of their other half's." He explained and I nodded, taking a soft yet as deep of a breath as I could. "I've only ever had Carrie." I admitted, staring out at the ginormous ocean ahead of us. I smiled slightly. "Met her when we were four. I was screaming," I revealed softly. "Nurses were trying to get an IV into me and I wouldn't let them. Dad, he always refused to hold me down. Didn't want me to become afraid of him, become angry or distant with him. I was begging for them to leave me alone, and then this little kid came from nowhere, giving me a hug and telling me everything would be alright," I whispered.

He glanced at me and smiled slightly. "That was Carrie?"

I nodded. "Yeah. She was in the hospital, and had been since she was barely two. Rare form of leukaemia. She received treatment and has been in remission since she was just under six. She's never abandoned me and when I'm undergoing yet another procedure, she's always the first one there apart from Grams, and Dad if he's in town." I finished.

Jacob was silent for a moment before he nodded. "So Saturday then? For definite?"

I nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, I'm actually looking forward to it." I replied and he nodded with his own grin. "Good, I am too."


	9. Chapter 9

**_Jacob's point of view_**

She was here. I could sense it. I could feel it. I searched up and down the beach, my eyes landing on a lone figure who was stood watching the waves rolling in up the sand. I recognised the red tartan backpack that I knew held her oxygen. She was standing still, just staring out over the endless ocean and the waves it created, rolling up the sand towards her but never actually touching her.

Sam saw where I was looking and looked at me. "That her?"

I nodded while pulling out my phone. _That you down the beach, or am I imagining things?_ I sent, the response coming back quickly. _Must be totally imagining things as I can't see you anywhere on this beach_. I grinned at that. She began looking around and the man who I'd given up being alpha to nudged me. "She's busy looking for you -go."

And go I did.

She smiled widely as I approached her. Dark circles under her eyes told me she hadn't been sleeping well though, something I wasn't feeling good about. "Hey," she greeted softly, her voice cracking a little like it always did. I'd talked to Sue. She'd told me that if Eleanora was in the condition that I'd described to her, then every word was likely a struggle just like every breath. I wanted desperately to fix that once and for all.

"Hey back. I thought you couldn't come to the beach." I replied and she smiled widely, cheerfully, the brightest smile I'd seen on her so far. At least it wasn't a scowl, or the kind of watery eyed look she got when she was close to tears, like at the cinema in Port Angeles. I never, ever wished to see that look ever again. Never. I would rather become a leech than see that look again anytime soon.

"Well, considering its like a mega hot day with little wind, and Grams is here keeping an eye on me," she explained, gesturing behind her to where a woman who was on the phone to someone sat a little further up the beach. She gave a short wave before going back to her phone conversation. I made a noise showing that I understood. "Got ya. We still on for Saturday?" I asked.

She nodded with wide eyes. "Uh yeah. Did you really think I'd pass up the opportunity to mess with some car?" She exclaimed and I laughed, smiling as I did so. "No, I didn't think you would. So, how'd the check-up go then? You said you were a bit iffy, the word I think you used, about it."

I walked back a little and sat down, patting the sand beside me. She sat down, and then sighed a little. "Not good, I guess. I have just over a month before the cancer becomes irreversible, and I'm now in need of a kidney transplant, amongst other things. Dad is stressed out, Grams wouldn't stop crying as now its starting to hit home, I think. Treatment is way too expensive and I've refused it anyways." She whispered.

That caught my attention and I felt my wolf shuddering inside, something I pushed down. I was too close. If I phased, I'd hurt her, maybe even kill her. I could feel the guys up the beach keeping an eye on me, and Sam told them that I was alright, so they must have thought I was going to explode there at that. _I almost did_... "Refused it?"

Eleanora nodded. "Yeah. What is actually the point? At the way my heart, kidney and lungs are deteriorating, I'll be long gone before the cancer ever did it."

I shuddered again at that, but again, quashed it before I could cause damage and reveal the pack secret. "But what if by some miracle you could be healed? You know, have the transplants and the only thing standing in your way to full health was the cancer? Would you take it then?" I was desperate, and I knew I sounded like it.

The gears in her head were turning -it was as though I could see them. She was silent for a few moments before she spoke, softly, quietly. "You know, five months ago, I would have said no, but now? Uh, I don't now. They've looked everywhere for a kidney and haven't found one that meets my requirements. They don't just grow on trees you know. They say my heart will start to fail in about seven months, and after that, game over."

I swallowed the fear that was rising. ""So if the chance came, you'd take it?"

Her light coloured eyes looked at me, and she nodded after a moment. ""Yeah, I think I would. Why do you ask?"

I gave her an easy smile, relishing in the fact that it was probably me that'd changed her mind, no one else. "Just curious, that's all." I reached over and laid my warmer hand over her cold ones. I could see the ink that covered her skin, and they were quite awesome, to be honest. The ones covering her wrists were amazing. It looked like leaves, and they were really detailed. Must have taken forever. I could see three butterflies on the shoulder closest to me as well as a rose design that disappeared beneath her top. I could also see the tattoo I'd seen in the truck on Saturday, plus the one behind her ear. That made five -she said she had six. So one was hidden. I grinned, running my fingers over her throbbing pulse just to reassure myself that it was there. It was. "See, knew you had ink on your shoulders." I teased.

She gave a teasing smile back. "I have it in many places." She replied with a sweet laugh, and I grinned at that. "Whereabouts exactly is this ink that I can't see then?"

"You don't get to know that, _yet_." There was that implied word again that told me I was slowly but surely breaking down her walls and the barriers I knew she'd put up over the years to protect her feelings and innermost thoughts. Oh, how I wished I could know what went on in that head of hers.

"So I'm here with Grams, but who exactly are you here with?" She asked, bringing me back to the present. I grinned widely, glancing up the beach towards the rest of the pack who were playing ball again. I wished I could introduce her to them, to the pack itself, but I couldn't, not yet. It wasn't safe, especially with everything that was going on right now. How could I even tell her without giving her a panic attack, landing her in hospital with that Cullen leech for who knows how long?

"Remember the pack of buddies I told you had the same tattoo as me? I'm with them, and some of their other half's." I explained, wishing she could be part of the group officially. She was an imprint. She belonged up there with every other imprint, and it sucked that she didn't know, _yet._

She nodded, looking out to the waves and the endless ocean. "I've only ever had Carrie." She revealed, and I listened. "Met her when we were four. I was screaming. Nurses were trying to get an IV into me and I wouldn't let them. Dad, he always refused to hold me down. Didn't want me to become afraid of him, become angry or distant with him. I was begging for them to leave me alone, and then this little kid came from nowhere, giving me a hug and telling me everything would be alright," she whispered softly.

I was instantly respectful of the short haired girl who was like a spitfire and guarded Eleanora's every single move, making sure she didn't take a step without there being no danger whatsoever. "That was Carrie?"

She nodded. "Yeah. She was in the hospital, and had been since she was barely two. Rare form of leukaemia. She received treatment and has been in remission since she was just under six. She's never abandoned me and when I'm undergoing yet another procedure, she's always the first one there apart from Grams, and Dad if he's in town."

Carrie had leukaemia? No wonder they got on so well. They had an infinite amount to relate to each other with, and I knew from watching them talk that they were like sisters, just like the pack were like brothers to each other.

I was silent for a little while before I spoke, ideas about how to help already churning around in my head. "So Saturday then? For definite?" I clarified.

She nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, I'm actually looking forward to it." She replied and I gave a grin of my own. "Good, I am too."

 **(W*W)**

Eleanora left not long afterwards, and I was running back to the guys in an instant, an idea already on the tip of my tongue, but how could I say it? I couldn't exactly come out with it.

Embry sat with Anna, the dark haired girl tucked into his arms. "You look as though you just won the lottery or something." He joked and I grinned. "I have. I got her to say yes to treatment if it somehow became available to her." I announced, and he held his hand out which I slapped. Anna smiled too. She was the newest member, and hopefully Eleanora would follow her. "What treatment does she need to live?" She asked softly.

I swallowed. Here it goes. "Kidney transplant, heart transplant, cancer treatment which has to start in less than a month or it won't work."

She inhaled sharply. "Oh," she whispered, the other guys listening in. Valerie, Calvin's imprint, who had as big a mouth as he did, sat up to attention immediately. "Which needs to come first?"

"Probably kidney then cancer." I replied and she nodded before sighing. "I have an idea. What if we organised like a fundraiser, and all of us imprints went to see if we were matches?" She suggested and Calvin looked at her with wide eyes. For someone who'd been a player beforehand, he sure did panic whenever she put herself in danger these days.

I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly. "I was going to ask that, but I didn't know how the guys would react. You know, it isn't exactly something small. Its major. You'd be giving up a part of yourself." I answered.

Sam nodded solemnly. "Yes, they would be. You know how it feels to see your imprint in pain and sick more than anyone of us, Jacob." He stated before looking at the two girls plus Emily. "I'm not pleased, but if this is something they want to do, who are we to stop them?"

Anna sat up beside me. "I'll do it," she whispered, holding a hand up before Embry could speak. She shook her head. "I remember seeing Jade go through it before she died," she added quietly, talking about the sister she rarely spoke about. Everyone was quiet for a moment before she nodded. "I want to do it."

I looked at Valerie and she nodded in agreement, and so did Em. "We'll both do it." The latter agreed, and then Calvin sighed. "We have some money tucked back, a good size. You tell us when this fundraiser is that you're gonna plan, and we'll both donate." He added and I looked at him with wide eyes. For being Sam's younger half brother by nine months, along with Michael who was on patrol, they couldn't have been more different in personalities.

"I can't ask you to donate all that though," I replied and he grinned. "I'm not going to college, Jake." He explained, rubbing a hand up and down Valerie's arm. "Allison saved and put it in an account for both Mike and I. It was for college, we both aren't going, so I'll use my half to keep your girl alive." He explained.

I nodded with a fierce nod of thanks and he sent one back. Sam nodded too. "I guess we'd better get to work then, hadn't we?"


	10. Chapter 10

Saturday came, and after my transfusion, Jacob picked me up from the hospital again, this time not taking me to Port Angeles, but back to the reservation and to the old outbuilding next door to where he lived that he used to fix up cars and other stuff. I loved stuff like this. Hadn't done it in years though, not since I become worse. I didn't care anymore though. I was doing it now, and to me, that was what mattered right now.

We installed a new part in the Rabbit he was building, both of our hands caked with grease and goodness knows what else. My phone began to buzz but I couldn't pick it up considering my hands were covered in stuff, so I motioned for the cloth to wipe my hands. Jacob chucked it over with a shake of his head and a grin, and as soon as my hands were somewhat clean, I picked up my phone, answering it just before it stopped ringing. "Hello?"

It was Grams, and she sounded happier than I'd heard her in a long time. " _They found you a match, my Ellie love!_ " She cried down the phone, loud enough for Jacob to hear her too. He placed down the wrench he'd been holding and wiped his hands too, coming over to stand beside me so he could hear what was being said. _Nosey,_ I mouthed and he shrugged with a grin.

" _They want to do the operation on Monday, Ellie."_ She continued and I swallowed noisily. "Tuesday? But Grams, you don't have the money to pay for it." I whispered and she hummed. " _I don't have to. Apparently Dr Cullen was moved by your case and paid off all expenses as well as all our previous bills that we had piling up!_ " I frowned at that, and so did Jake, but then my eyes began brimming with tears when I realised what that meant. I would be safe from renal failure, but not the cancer. Would the organ even take though? The process of rejection always scared me.

Grams said she would call me back as she needed to tell Dad, and that left Jacob and I alone. I let out a shaky breath, my eyes watering. He smiled slightly. "I thought you'd be happy, not crying." He said gently and I nodded. "I am, you have no idea how happy I am." I croaked and he grinned, pulling me into a hug filled with warmth. I wrapped my shaking arms around him and hugged him back.

He pulled back. "We should celebrate of some sort," he suggested and I laughed, wiping my wet eyes on the back of my hand. "C'mon Jacob, we're filthy," I stated and he grinned. "That's why we can have pizza to celebrate." He answered back and I raised a brow. "Pizza? You really are a bad influence you know. I had a healthy diet until you came along. Oh my God, I need to call Carrie and tell her!" I remembered suddenly and he nodded. "You do that while I call for pizza." He called, heading out of the outbuilding to get a phone, I think.

I pulled up the all too familiar number, smiling slightly when it answered on the first dial. "Rie, you won't believe what I have to tell you."

 **(W*W)**

I sat in the hospital, waiting to be checked over. Tomorrow was the day, and the hospital had suggested that I remain in the night beforehand so they could check me over, make sure that there wouldn't be any nasty surprises come morning. I was to share a room with the one who was donating. She was said to be about my age, and from the reservation also. A little voice kept chiming in the back of my mind, causing me to wonder if Jacob had somehow been behind this? I wasn't mad, just curious as to why he was doing this, all for me, and how on earth he'd gotten someone to part with a piece of their body?

A girl came in about twenty minutes later, a small smile on her face as she walked over to the bed next to me. "You must be Eleanora." She stated warmly, her dark eyes shining. She was definitely from the reservation. You could tell with the distinctive russet coloured skin and liquid onyx coloured hair. She was beautiful. "I'm Anna."

I smiled back slightly, my legs swinging back and forth. "Nice to meet you. Thank you so much for this, but can I ask you a question?" She nodded after a moment, taking a seat opposite me and she too began swinging her legs back and forth. "Did Jacob ask you to do this?" I whispered.

She paused for a moment before shaking her head. "I'm the girlfriend of his best friend." She began. I nodded. There was the connection. "I heard about you from Embry. He said Jake was real torn up that he couldn't do anything to help you. He really likes you, and was so upset when he realised he couldn't help you in the way you ultimately needed help in. I and a few other girls we know came here to see if we were matches, and lo and behold, I was, so I decided to do this, not because he asked me to personally, but because I've seen someone go through this before, and I couldn't help her." She explained quietly before adding, looking at me as she did so. "But I can help you before its too late."

Tears prickled at my eyes as she finished speaking and I nodded jerkily, trying desperately to push the tears back down. "Thank you," I whispered again and she nodded with a kind smile. "No problem. Its nice to meet you though. He wouldn't shut up about you," she laughed and I gave a weepy one back, wiping my eyes desperately, willing the tears not to fall. She smiled slightly. "He really does like you, you know. He was devastated when some girl chose some other guy over him, and moped around for days, but then you came along, and he's like a completely different Jake that the guys and girls know. We were all wondering what changed him, and then he told us about you."

I frowned. He'd been rejected? Who'd reject Jake? He was the nicest guy I'd ever known other than Dad. Who would do that to someone like him? I took an instant dislike to this girl who'd done this to him.

There was a knock at the door and Dr Cullen came in followed by Dorothea who gave me a wink. I saw Anna go tense a little at the sight of the good doctor and my favourite nurse in the whole wide world. Must be nervous about the needles. I saw the cardboard dish in Dorothea's hands and I held my arm out. She laughed and moved towards me, leaving Dr Cullen to explain how tomorrow would go.

I didn't even flinch as Dorothea began to work. Dr Cullen shifted a little before speaking. "We'll be taking Miss Waters in at nine, and then as soon as we've taken the donor organ from her, then we'll take you in, Eleanora." He explained, turning to face me. Anna nodded too. Miss Rivers? Could she be related to the teacher from school?

He left soon after that, and after Dorothea had placed a cannula in the back of Anna's hand too, she too left. Jake must've been waiting outside for he came in immediately afterwards, another guy following behind him. Anna smiled at both, but her eyes were on the guy behind him. This must be Embry, her boyfriend, I think. Jake took a seat beside me while the other guy took one beside Anna. "How nice of you by the way to not tell me that you knew who the donor was when you knew." I teased with a nudge to his ribs.

Jake floundered around for an answer before I laughed softly and shook my head. "I'm not mad, idiot." I answered for him and he chuckled after a moment. "Yeah, I guess I should've told you, but I didn't know if you'd be happy or kind of mad that I interfered and told someone about how sick you were."

I shrugged, smiling slightly. "Yeah, well, I've also been told that a doctor whose been treating me for just under three years has paid for all my medical expenses and that my Grams and Dad aren't in over a hundred thousand dollars worth of debt. You doing this for me is the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me, ever." I whispered.

He was surprised I think before he grinned widely, tucking me into his side with a one armed hug, careful of the needle in the back of my hand as he did so. I leaned into him, wondering just how someone had ever chose some other guy over the one who was doing everything to make sure I survived, something that only Dad and Grams had ever done.

 **(W*W)**

Grams and Carrie sat waiting with me. It was just after nine. Anna had been gone for about twenty minutes, and I knew it would only be minutes before I would be taken down myself. Carrie was huddled up beside me as I rested my head on her shoulder, already changed into my usual and all too familiar hospital gown, the familiar yet disgustingly tasting sleep medicine going through me that made me drowsy and somewhat out of it. She was rubbing a hand up and down my arm, telling me something that I couldn't make out. I could see a magazine in her hands and somewhere in the back of my mind, it became clear she was probably reading that out loud like she had always done.

Dad had called last night before I went to bed. He had been given a week off, paid, and was coming to see me. He'd be here around lunchtime, he'd said as he was getting a connecting flight to the small airport in Forks so he'd be here quicker than he usually was. He'd get here when I was still under too, giving him time to talk to Grams and 'catch up' as they always put it.

I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew, Carrie was moving away and there were people all around me, the bed I was in moving out of the room. Must be time then. I blanked out a few times, the next time I came to being in the operating room. I could see the double doors through my blurry eyes and knew Anna would be through there from what they'd told us both this morning. She'd be returning to her room soon, and then in about two or three hours, depending on how long it took them, I'd be joining her.

I could feel the anaesthetic entering my veins, the feeling making my eyes heavy, and before I knew it, everything around me faded into black.

 **(W*W)**

Waking up was never my favourite part. I always felt horrible. Mouth drier than sandpaper, pain meds just about cutting it, no pun intended, but not by much. A warm hand holding mine was the best way to wake up, especially when I knew who it was by the all too familiar callouses that'd grown over the fifteen years since the hand they belonged to began holding mine.

Dad smiled as I came to, his warm brown eyes twinkling at me. "There's my girl." He soothed, his thumb stroking over the back of my needle free hand. I just blinked sleepily at him before rolling my head to the side, my sleepy gaze meeting bright blue curtains that separated the two beds. I looked back at Dad and he smiled a little wider. "She's alright, your friend. She's been awake for about an hour, maybe a little more. I went and saw her as soon as she was awake."

I made the motion for water that we'd come up with when I was just a little girl, when I knew it was too painful to speak right now. He nodded, letting go of my hand and turning around, coming back to a plastic cup of water and straw. He held the straw out towards me and I took a little sip, the sweet refreshing, cool water rushing down my throat. I took another two small sips before I tried to speak. "Go okay?" I croaked out and he nodded with a wide smile. "Sure did. I met with Dr Cullen. He said he paid them off so we had a chance at paying for the cancer treatment." He explained, a secret smile pulling at his mouth. "But I don't think we'll need to." He added.

My brows furrowed and he gestured behind him.

Jake appeared, placing a chair beside Dad. Dad nodded with a small smile. "This young man tells me he wants to fundraise for you, Ellie." He stated and I switched my gaze over to Jake who gave me a sheepish smile. Damn right you're sheepish. Dad chuckled. "And by that frown, I'm guessing you didn't know. This the guy I told you to take a chance with?"

I managed a weak nod and Dad made an approving sound, holding his hand out for Jacob to shake, which the giant of a sixteen year old did, and just as fiercely. "Well, you have my approval, son. Anyway, perhaps he should tell you about it, not me? I'll go see if your Grams is done with her herbal tea yet, tell her your awake, you know." He leant over and pressed a kiss to my clammy forehead before clapping Jacob on the back, the boy not even flinching. He handed the small plastic cup to him. "Small sips only, don't let her tell you otherwise." He joked before leaving to find Grams.

Jake took the seat closest to me, the one Dad vacated, placing the cup on the small table beside me. He took hold of my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze after making sure it was the needle free one. He smiled slightly. "Look at you, the little lady who survived a transplant." He teased in order to attempt to make me smile, that attempt not a total failure as I managed to curve my lips up in a slight smile. He gave my hand another squeeze. "I was going to tell you afterwards so you didn't freak out if you were going to." He explained.

I raised a brow silently and he chuckled. "Are you mad at me?"

I silently shook my head and he grinned ever wider. "Good. Its planned for two weeks time exactly, and I came up with the idea for it to be proper clothes."

I wanted to laugh at that but couldn't, but I think he saw it on my face. "Carrie said you've never actually worn a proper long dress, and if the treatment doesn't work," he swallowed and tightened his hold on my hand a little. He cleared his throat before continuing. "I want you to have something like a prom, a night to remember." He finished before looking at our linked hands.

My hand was shaky as I removed it from the warm clutch of his own, him being just close enough for me to cup his hot to the touch cheek with that hand. He looked at me with a small smile, that I returned, not even noticing Dad as he returned with Grams. Jacob did though, his hot hand gently grasping mine from his face before he stood, going over to where Dad and Grams shook as he introduced himself to her. I could see the sheen of tears in her eyes from here as she introduced herself back, giving him a warmly receptive hug. Guess she saw us then after all.


	11. Chapter 11

Recovering from any procedure wasn't fun, and recovering from a transplant had definitely made the list of things that weren't fun.

Anna got to go home after three days in the bed beside me. I was envious. I longed to sleep in my own bed, hooked up to no other support apart from my regular oxygen tank. But that just wouldn't be. According to Dr Cullen and a few others, I'd be in here for another week, making my total hospital stay come to just under twelve days. I wanted home, but I also respected their wishes considering I knew it was for the best.

I was never alone though during visiting hours. Jake kept me company, and when he wasn't there, Carrie was always there. I loved it. My bubbly best friend still couldn't believe I wanted to live. She put it down to the certain native boy who was always at my side when she came to visit. He'd even been skipping school, something I didn't agree with, but he still did so, even after I told him he shouldn't do that just to see me.

My fingers shook as I gently tightened the sash around my middle, the all too familiar pain telling me that I had pulled it too tight. Carrie moved like lightening and untightened it once again with a soft sigh. "Good God Nora. You know you aren't meant to tie it just yet, not five days after a major surgery. They told you that not even an hour ago!" She exclaimed and I sighed softly. "But I'm cold." I whispered.

She sighed too. "I can go get you a hot water bottle?" She suggested and I smiled slightly. "I don't think I'll need it." I replied softly, already spying the human like heater walking towards my open door. She followed my line of sight and rolled her eyes. "You know, the both of you need to stop kidding yourselves and just date, for Christ sake. You obviously like him and he obviously likes you, so what's the problem?" She exclaimed in a hushed voice.

I went to answer but Jake walked in, so I snapped my mouth shut, instantly moving over so he could sit beside me and keep me warm. He grinned with a quiet chuckle and shake of his head, wrapping an arm around my shoulder while being careful of the wires and tubes. Instant warmth flooded me and I let out a soft sigh, nestling my head into his abnormal warmth.

Carrie rolled her eyes before she mumbled something about going to get some hot chocolate, a small smile on her face as she slipped out of the room.

Jake glanced down at me. "You know, she's right." He stated after a moment and I frowned before I then realised what he was talking about. I averted my eyes but he placed a finger under my chin, tilting it up so I was looking at him. "But I have something to tell you." He sighed, letting go of my chin and rubbing that hand wearily down his face. "I'm going away for a few days from the 14th, but I'll be back in time to see you in your pretty dress." He added with a slight grin and I smiled slightly before leaning into him. "Good." I whispered, my eyes falling shut.

 **(W*W)**

Anna came to see me on my tenth day in the hospital, her eyes slightly worried but calm nonetheless. I smiled widely at her as she came in, gently leaning down to give me a hug. She held a small bag out. "Here, Carrie said you'd like them," she giggled, and I beamed at the sight of more drawing pads and a pack of sketching pencils. She laughed when I hugged her tight but not too tight enough to hurt either of us. "I guess she was right then?"

I nodded with a beaming smile. "Hell yeah!" I exclaimed and she laughed, sitting cross legged on the bed opposite me. She smiled slightly. "Are you looking forward to Saturday and getting the hell out of here?" I gave a nod and then sighed. "Dad went back yesterday." I whispered and she gave a sad smile. "Yeah, but you see him in a month and sixteen days, don't you?"

I nodded again. "Yep. He always saves his days off for special occasions and he occasionally gets paid leave to come and see me on occasions like this." I explained and she smiled. "Good. He's a great man. He couldn't stop thanking me for helping you last week."

My smile widened a little. "Yeah, he told me he came to see you as soon as you were awake. He's awesome. I've never had another parent apart from him and Grams." I stated and she frowned. "No mother?"

That soured my mood a little and I scoffed. "Its because of her I'm like this anyways. She took drugs like crack and heroin, drank, smoked, did everything you can possibly think of that you aren't meant to do when you're pregnant. Dad took immediate custody of me -they weren't together at the time. Problems started from the time I was born until now, and they're still building up. Last I heard she was off having more kids, and then when CPS came to take them away, she just vanished. Grams tried to track her down for maintenance a good few years ago considering she's never paid a single penny towards me, but even she couldn't find her." I explained.

Anna scowled, the look unusual on her face. "Yeah, I see what you mean. She sounds like a right piece of work."

I just nodded with a scowl. "Yeah, she definitely is, and to be honest, if she walked through that door now, I'd want nothing to do with her."


	12. Chapter 12

I was home at last, just a day later than expected. I crawled into bed, thankful for Grams as she'd washed it completely, sterilising it so there weren't any kind of germs on the sheets whatsoever. I was in heaven. I heard her open the door, and she ambled into the room, taking a gentle seat beside me and pulling the covers back so I could see her. She gave me an easy smile. "So, I found this on the porch this morning." She pulled back her hand to reveal a single rose wrapped in paper.

A small smile appeared on my face and she shook her head with a soft, sweet sounding laugh. "That boy has to be one of the most determined ones of this era I've seen and met in a long, _long_ time." She chuckled and I smiled a little wider. She paused, reaching over a tracing my smile with one wrinkled finger. "I haven't seen you smile like that in a long, long time, my sweet girl." She nodded thoughtfully. "He's good to you, and he seems determined to save your life, and anyone whose that determined to save the life of my only grandchild earns my approval and my ultimate respect." She admitted.

Her words took me by surprise, but she wasn't done yet, gently holding one of my hands and giving it a quick squeeze. "I saw you in the hospital with him, you know. I have a sneaking suspicion that this newfound friendship goes above and beyond just friendship, and both ways too. Why haven't you told him how you feel?" She whispered softly.

I swallowed. "Grams, I couldn't even stand him at first, but then he made it clear I wasn't a game, some twisted amusement to pass his time." I whispered back. She nodded, showing that she was listening. "We were in Port Angeles, at the cinema, and a group of girls were watching me, laughing at me, so we left earlier than planned, and they followed. Do you know what he said?" I swallowed the rising lump in my throat. "He said I was worth more than all those girls put together. I started coughing badly, something that would have landed me in hospital, but he'd talked to someone he knew, his friends mom whose a nurse, and learned how to help me should something like that happen. Who does that?"

She was silent for a moment before nodding slowly. "Someone who cares for you just as much as your Dad and I do, my sweet Ellie." She answered before sighing. "You know, for someone who said she wouldn't love anyone or become attached to anyone, you sure seem to have gone back on those words.

I didn't have an answer, merely smiled, hiding my face beneath the covers once more before she could steal them from my grasp once again.

 **(W*W)**

I twisted and turned in the mirror, staring at myself in disbelief. I couldn't believe it. Carrie stood behind me, a bright smile on her face as she adorned her own smart clothes in the form of a tight fitting green dress that contrasted with her darker than black hair, making her beauty all that more obvious. I couldn't believe my own appearance, let alone hers. Grams was waiting downstairs, no doubt a camera poised, waiting, in her loving hands.

Carrie laughed suddenly, her hands clamping on my shoulder to stop me turning from side to side to see just how on earth this person in the mirror was me. She adjusted the side bag that was carrying a smaller, more transportable, oxygen canister that would do for tonight. I had been given it by Dr Cullen, free of charge, something that really surprised me, and was a little bit suspicious too, to be completely honest.

"You need to stop worrying," she soothed gently. I met her eyes in the mirror. She smiled a small, warm smile. "He won't care what you look like, Nora. Come off it. Stop worrying for nothing. He's been by your side since March, and he hasn't abandoned you yet. Let's go see Grams." She sighed, moving towards the door, myself following slowly behind her.

Grams beamed a bright smile. "Don't you look amazing!" She exclaimed, pressing a kiss to Carrie's cheek before embracing or rather swallowing me into a tight hug. "You look beautiful, my love." She whispered, pressing a kiss into my raven black hair. I smiled into her neck where my face was tucked into, and then she pulled back, grabbing a camera that I just knew she would have lying around here. I sighed softly, Carrie linking our arms together as we both smiled for. The flash stung my eyes, but I maintained my smile throughout it, knowing how much a memory like this would mean to her.

 **(W*W)**

The school gymnasium at Forks High School was packed, the school apparently having loaned their facility once they learned of what Jake was planning, and the cause, aka myself, would be. It was jam packed full of people -I couldn't even tell how many were here. Were there actually that many people in the surrounding area? I had no idea.

But I couldn't see Jake anywhere. I could see some of his friends -Embry and Anna were off in a corner, laughing and almost wrapped around each other. I could see the guy, Paul, who'd came to the hospital with some others who weren't here. He was in the middle of the room, a tall, dark haired girl about my age chatting with him, her dark eyes shining brightly.

Carrie too was looking around, and then she looked at me. Now that I thought about it, I hadn't actually heard from Jake all weekend. He usually messaged me, checking up on me when we weren't with each other, making sure I was alright. It was weird that I hadn't heard from him, and the tiny nagging voice in the back of my head began its snide tirade - _See, he didn't want you, just like your mother. He couldn't even turn up to something he organised_ , its ugly voice spat, making me swallow the lump. Where was he?

Anna caught sight of us and gestured for us to come over, which we both did. I smiled slightly before looking around once more. "Where's Jake?" I whispered.

Her smile fell before she wrung her hands worriedly, her eyes flashing between her boyfriend who was around ten feet away, to around the room once more, then back to me. "Uh, Jake is-"

"Right here," a familiar and all too wanted voice answered, a warm arm looping around me waist. I let out a soft sigh. He too was dressed smartly, his black trousers and white shirt making me smile. I didn't even know he owned something like that.

Jake grinned at me, his eyes warm and soothing. "Hey you," I whispered and his smile softened before he glanced at Carrie and Anna. "Mind if I steal her for a while?" He joked and both girls held their hands up, their own grinning smiles adorning their faces. "Hey, you just go." Carrie joked back and he grinned before taking my hand and pulling me away from them.

We stopped in the middle of the room where some people were dancing, and he pulled my arms over his shoulders, my hands clasping to hold them there, his warm hands resting on my waist.

He just stared down at me until I smiled nervously. "What?" I whispered and he smiled back, this one more relaxed than mine. "You look beautiful," he whispered back, and I could feel a warmth spreading across my russet coloured cheeks. He smiled a little wider, and then I remembered something. "You alright? You were kind of quiet this weekend, you know." I asked and he sighed, his eyes moving from mine to focus on something across the room before he looked back towards me. "I hurt myself, knocked myself out, and then got ill." He replied, looking straight at me.

I grimaced and he shook his head. "I'm all better," he reassured, knowing how susceptible I was to illnesses. He then chuckled. "Besides, do you honestly think I would miss this, miss seeing you dressed like this?" He added and I smiled, my eyes crinkling at the edges no doubt in that weird way they did when I smiled too wide. "No, I didn't think you would." I whispered back, his grin answering it for me as he released a hand from my waist to bring it up to my face. The warm fingers traced the line of my jaw, the caress as gentle as anything I had ever known. I couldn't stop leaning into it, my eyes falling shut as I did so.

My eyes opened after a moment, and he smiled slightly, stroking his thumb over my bottom lip. I swallowed as the look on his face changed, a look I knew all too well from movies and shit. He sighed. "I want to," he breathed, and I swallowed once more. "Why don't you?" I replied softly and he sighed. "I could hurt you, give you a breathing attack or something." He answered and I shook my head. "I want to," I whispered. "I'll be alright, one little kiss isn't going to kill me." I added.

His eyes widened as he took in my words, and before I could blink, he leant down, his mouth moulding to mine with a gentleness that I had never known before. His hand cupped my cheek just as my eyes slid shut, his thumb brushing under my eye as his mouth moved gently against mine with a sweetness I had not felt before, ever. It was a feeling I could only describe of being, _feeling complete_ , like the universe had stopped continuing, that the world had stopped spinning. I never, ever wanted it to end.

And it did, in the form of a nasally voice calling out to the boy who held my heart in his hands.

" _Jake_!" It called, and he pulled back from me, his mouth curling downwards in something other than pleasantness. He pressed a kiss to the corner of my mouth before pulling back, his mouth hard and set as he turned to face the owner of the unpleasant sounding voice. It was a she, a girl not too older than us with long brown hair, pale skin and chocolate coloured brown eyes. She was beaming at Jake, but when her eyes cut to me, she frowned, her nostrils flaring unhappily at my presence, and the fact that she'd probably see our kiss, well, kisses. "Whose this?" She asked, rather rudely, her eyes narrowing upon me before she looked back towards the boy who still held me close to him, protecting me.

He narrowed his eyes back. "Does _he_ know you're here?" He retorted, something akin to a snarl echoing in his voice. She smiled, although I could see she wasn't pleased with my being here. Jake was, and that was all that mattered. He threaded one of his hands through mine, his other arm wrapping around my waist as he moved me ever so slightly behind him. "He doesn't need to know, Jake." She replied and then it clicked. This was _her_ , the one who Anna had been talking about in the hospital before the operation, the one who'd broke Jake before I met him.

I shook my head. "Don't you not have a boyfriend?" I asked with a frown and her eyes cut to me, narrowing once more. "I wasn't talking to you." She snapped and Jake scowled. "Don't talk to her like that. You need to leave me alone, Bella. Didn't I make it clear I wanted nothing more to do with you? I'm sick of your games. You can't have both, and I don't want you anymore. Eleanora is all I want, not you, not anyone else, not now, not ever, never." He snarled.

My eyes cut to him as he said that, my heart thudding in my mouth as he did so. No one had ever said that about me, and it nailed the final nail in the coffin. I was sold. He would never hurt me, not once, not ever, _never_.

She gave a soft screech before storming off, her short dress swishing behind her as she did so, retreating over to one side of the room before remaining there, glaring at us.

Jake whirled me around, turning me so that I was facing him, and only him. He went to say something but I reached up, placing a gentle hand over his mouth. "You don't have to explain anything," I whispered softly, his eyes softening as I did so. "Anna already did." I finished, and he gently pulled my hand from his mouth, pressing a kiss to the palm before placing it on his shoulder. I glanced over my shoulder to find the girl, Bella, still glaring towards us, her mouth set in a permanent scowl. I looked back towards Jake who too was looking towards her with a less than pleased expression. "She's still looking," I whispered.

His dark eyes looked down at me, and he pulled me flush against him, his fingers taking a gentle hold of my chin as he leant closer towards me. "Then I guess we'll just have to give her something to look at." He whispered back, pressing his mouth towards mine once more, a smile gracing mine as he moulded his mouth against mine, that feeling of being complete coursing through my veins once again as he did so.


	13. Chapter 13

I was nervous, and to have said I was a little nervous would have been a major understatement.

Jake was coming to pick me up, to tell me how the fundraiser had panned out. I was terrified. This would be it. If I would live, or if I would eventually die, pass on like the billions before me to some apparent hereafter. I was petrified.

I sat on the porch swing, a blanket wrapped around me to ward off the slight summer chill that was coursing through the humid air. I was trembling, although I knew it wasn't from the cold. This would map out the rest of my life, how I would spend it, or not spend it either... I perked up a little, hearing the familiar rumble of the engine belonging to the car I'd helped him build up during our few times I'd been in his workshop. I saw the familiar red car coming down the road and I smiled slightly, eager and longing to see the sight that would confirm I wasn't abandoned again. It was almost a relief every single time that I saw him; it meant he wasn't leaving me just yet.

He all but leapt out of the car, coming up to the porch quickly and swopping me into a tight hug. I couldn't contain my laughter. He was being careful, but not too careful to treat me as though I was made of glass, something that would smash so easily and break into a thousand pieces. I loved how he could do that. Be gentle, but not too gentle.

I hugged back, tucking my head into the crook of his neck before pulling back. "So, where are we going then?" I whispered and he grinned. "It's a surprise." He answered, glancing back towards where Grams stood. I hadn't even heard her come out. "I'll have her back in a few hours, Mrs Rivers," he stated and she nodded, a small smile on her face as she peered at me. "Please do. Her father will be ringing by then to speak to her." She added and a smile bloomed on my face before I could stop it. "Dad's calling?" I breathed.

She nodded with her own smile, drying her hands off with a towel. "He sure is, Ellie love. Make sure you're back for two." She added and both Jake and I nodded, his arm around me as he guided me towards the car, Grams watching with a small smile before she went back into the house, quietly closing the door behind her.

I climbed into the car, buckling myself in carefully after taking my bag off and placing it carefully by my feet. Jake climbed in beside me, he too buckling himself in. He gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "You ready?"

A shuddering, nervous breath echoed from my lips. "Yeah, I guess I am," I whispered and he grinned before starting the car up and driving off.

 **(W*W)**

I had been to the Rivers Edge Restaurant before when I was little, but I hadn't been in years. I couldn't supress my smile as I walked with Jake into the somewhat familiar establishment, my eyes taking in the obvious upgrades that'd happened since I was last here, well over eight years ago. He pushed open the door as I followed him inside. There were a few others inside, some I recognised from having attended the fundraiser a few days ago. I had less than two weeks to start treatment, something I was exceptionally nervous about. Dad had suggested treatment in Phoenix, Arizona, as it wasn't that far to where he worked in Yuma, Arizona, only about three hours away, meaning he could visit on his days off.

We were led to a table in the back, away from prying eyes, and I sat down slowly, Jake taking the seat opposite me. He grinned when we were left alone to look at the menu, but I already knew what I wanted, so I placed it down and looked at him expectantly, but he kept staring at the menu, his grin growing dramatically in size. I could feel myself getting antsy and when he eventually put the blasted menu down, I gazed at him impatiently.

He laughed, the sound making a small smile appear on his face. "Aren't you impatient?" He teased and I sighed softly. "Please, Jake, just tell me. I'm terrified." I whispered and he smiled slightly, reaching across the table to take my small, petite hand into his much larger and much warmer one. "Well," he began. "We didn't raise enough," I could feel my heart dropping and then the fact that he was still grinning made me think and pause. I swallowed.

"But, when someone donated over two hundred thousand dollars," my breath got stuck, and it rattled out as his smile grew. "It brought the total to $327,096. You think that should be enough?" He finished and I could feel the tears brewing in my eyes, and before I knew it they were trickling down my cheeks, soaking my skin. His smile softened and he came around to my side of the table, embracing me gently while I fell into full-blown sobs, drenching his clothes with my salty tears. I would live. I would spend hopefully many more years on this planet. I had my kidney troubles gone, now it was just to get this treatment underway and then sort my ailing heart out. How could this be happening to me?

 **(W*W)**

We went back to where he lived afterwards, and his dad was sitting on the porch as we pulled up, his wheelchair gleaming in the pale June sun. He waved to Jake, calling him over, and the boy himself looked at me with a grin. "You ready to meet my old man?" He joked and I smiled slightly, nodding slightly. His grin widened before he climbed out, I following his example and walking beside him as he headed towards his own father, his hand threading through mine, something I didn't recoil from anymore like I would've done had he tried that two months ago.

Jake took a seat on one of the few chairs that sat out on the old wooden porch, and I took a seat one next to him. Jake's dad stretched a hand out. "Nice to meet you properly this time, Eleanora. I'm Billy." He said warmly, his eyes crinkling slightly. I smiled slightly, gripping his hand gently and shaking it back. "Nice to meet the girl who Jake won't stop talking about."

I cast a sideways glance towards the boy next to me whose cheeks were darkening a little as he stared seriously at his dad. "Thanks, I think." He muttered and my smile widened slightly before Jake's dad pulled me back into a conversation. "So, Jake told you about how much was raised then? A substantial amount considering the amount of people there and most from this tribe. Do you know when you'll be starting treatment?"

Something I didn't know, but Jake stepped in. "Her grandmother arranged with her dad for it to start next week, on Monday." He looked at me afterwards while I reeled from the new and sudden information. He smiled sheepishly. "I was sworn to secrecy until you spoke with your dad, so just don't mention that?" He stated, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly and I nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'll just totally erase that information from my brain." I whispered and his dad chuckled before taking a hold of his wheels. "I'll leave you kids to talk then." He stated with a sigh before wheeling away and into the house.

I was silent for a few moments before Jake turned to look at me, a small smile on his face. "How you feeling?" He asked quietly and I let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding in. I turned to face him before pulling him towards me, pressing my lips against his own. I could feel him smile into the kiss that _I_ had initiated, and his hand came up to cup my cheek gently, his thumb stroking the flushed skin there. I threaded my fingers through with his other hand, and he gently squeezed it before pulling away. I was right- he was smiling, his forehead leaning against mine. "I think I know how you feel now." He murmured.

He pressed another kiss to my lips before pressing one against my flushed cheek. I actually couldn't believe I had done that of my own will. It was against how reserved I usually was, but right now, I honestly didn't care. I was going to live to see many more years, and it was because of him.

Jake pulled me up so I was standing before glancing into the house, and then he sighed. "Its almost two. We need to get you back so your dad can talk to you." He stated and I nodded mutely, following him back to the car and climbing in when he held the door open, softly shutting it behind me. He got in beside me before squeezing my hand and giving me a smile. "You ready to go?" I nodded. "Yeah, lets go." I whispered.


	14. Chapter 14

Arizona was boiling, a heat and warmth akin to none I had ever felt before. Even the air conditioning in the apartment that Grams and Dad had found helped. I was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, the heat almost unbearable. But a certain boy's texts made it somewhat bearable at least.

We had been texting none stop. _Do you miss the rain and cold_ , he had joked in a phone call a few hours ago, just before he got on a flight to come out and visit here, with Billy's permission and my Grams making me swear that there would be no funny business in her home, although temporary. He would be here for a weekend, and then I wouldn't see him for another month until my birthday, and after that, I didn't know how long it would be until I saw him again...

I was sitting in the hospital, an IV tube in my arm pumping me full of the radioactive medicine, and a grey plastic 'puke' bucket clutched in my arms. I felt sick, worse, I felt horrifically nauseous. I was alone. Grams had gone to pick Jake up from the airport about twenty minutes ago, and considering the airport wasn't that far away, it wouldn't be long until they returned.

The nurses and doctors here were great, and although this was my third treatment since Tuesday, I certainly wasn't enjoying chemotherapy whatsofuckingever. It was horrible. I would continue this for four months, and then they would see if it was killing the cancer cells off, and then I would begin again, have another check-up, and this would continue until I was completely and wholly free of this blasted lymphoma.

I laid back on the bed, only to sit up again when I felt the nausea increase tenfold, and I gripped the bucket tightly, my hands shaking as I felt the vomit beginning to rise. I wretched, and the disgusting stuff splattered into the bucket, the stench making more appear. I coughed violently, and a gentle hand began rubbing my back, a calloused hand that I knew to be Dad's. I shuddered and he took a seat beside me on the bed. "There we go, sweetheart." He murmured and I could feel the tears leaking down my cheeks. "I hate vomiting." I croaked as he handed me a small plastic cup of water which I eagerly took, swirled around my mouth and then spat into the bucket.

Dad nodded after a moment. "I know. I remember when you were little." He sighed nostalgically. "You wouldn't let go of my hand for hours after each procedure -had to get your Grams to drive." He sighed again, pressing a kiss into my hair. "Jacob will be hear soon. Your Grams messaged me a few minutes ago to say she had picked him up and was coming back." He stated and I nodded wearily, leaning into him as he rubbed a hand up and down my arm, being careful of the tubes and wires that were coming out of it.

I must've fallen asleep for a short while, because next thing I knew, I was lying on the bed, and Jake and Grams were just coming through the room door. I blinked sleepily as he came and took a seat in the plastic chair beside me, his hand reaching out to take a careful hold of mine. His smile was sympathetic. "You look good," he murmured and I huffed tiredly. "You're such a liar." I grumbled.

His grin confirmed what I'd said, his thumb stroking over the back of my clammy hand. I glanced at the clock. Almost three. Treatment would be done in about half an hour, thankfully. While I was ever so grateful that I'd been given the chance to undergo the treatment, I felt awful.

Jake smiled slightly as he pressed a kiss to my cheek, and I wearily returned it before looking at the clock, counting down the time until home.

 **(W*W)**

Cuddling up in bed with Jake was heaven, despite the fact that the Arizonan heat coupled with his abnormal bodily heat, was not a pleasant thing whatsoever.

His large hand drifted up and down my back as we laid on top of the covers, my head nestled on his chest. A movie played in the background on the television across my bedroom, but we weren't paying attention. I was just content to lay here, in the arms of the boy who was determined to save me. I didn't know why he particularly wanted to save me, but after growing closer over the last weeks, I honestly didn't care.

Jake shifted and jarred me from the light sleep I had fallen into, and he directed an apologetic smile towards me, his hand moving to my hair that I knew soon wouldn't be there. "Sorry," he whispered, and I smiled back a little. "Its fine." I murmured before snuggling into him, and he chuckled. "Are you sure you can fall asleep?"

I nodded, my eyes falling shut as I did so. He chuckled again. "I guess you can, huh?"

My lips stretched into a small smile as he moved so her was laying down beside me. His hand stroked my face. "Then I guess I can too then."


	15. Chapter 15

**_Jacob's point of view_**

To see her, alive, breathing, although sick, was a relief. I'd never seen her so tired. Her light coloured eyes could barely stay open as we came back to the apartment from her latest session of chemo, and I could feel her exhaustion as I scooped her up, being careful of the plaster on her inner arm, her Grams opening the door so I could carry her inside, a grateful smile passed my way as the older lady went to retrieve the shopping. I didn't blame her, and I was thankful that she was grateful, but if only she could know just how much Eleanora meant to me, then she would actually understand just how far I would go to save her.

I'd had to change my number, and I'd given her the new one immediately. My phone had been blowing up with texts and desperate calls from Bella, someone I neither wanted to see or cared about anymore. It was always going to be the beautiful, sleepy girl in my arms from now on, no one else would even come close to meaning as much as she did.

But it didn't stop her from calling. She'd been harassing Dad, trying to find out my new number from him, even though he refused to give it to her, and I knew she'd asked Charlie to ask Dad for it, the fact that she was using her own father in her stupid little crush was sickening at least. If I didn't want to talk to her, I didn't want to talk to her, simple as. Why couldn't she just accept that and move on, marry the Cullen leech or something?

Eleanora gave a sleepy mumble as I placed her on the bed. We hadn't talked much over the weekend -it was as though the chemo was just zapping her energy and stamina altogether. She could barely keep her eyes open enough to eat, let alone maintain a conversation. I took a seat next to her on the bed, my fingers drifting across her face as I moved the hair that had fallen across her closed eyes back to where it should be. She opened her eyes a little, those light coloured orbs that had once glared scornfully at me now just calmly watching me, a soft blink giving me all the comfort and reassurance that she was real and still here, breathing and living right beside me on the double bed.

Her fingers reached out and brushed against mine that belonged to the hand I had resting on the bed. I saw the twitch of her lips and she closed her cold little hand around my much warmer one. "Why are you always so warm?" She croaked and I gave a slight grin, wishing that I could tell her all about the pack, and the fact that I was a gigantic wolf who protected our tribe from the cold ones, from the vampires.

And yet I couldn't, not until she was totally better. Sam had ordered it, and I didn't mind. I didn't want to make her even sicker than she was right now. I just had to wait until she was better, until she was home on the reservation in La Push, home with _me_. I knew I had a while to wait, but between making sure she was better and telling her that I was anything but human, making sure she was better would always come first.

I chuckled as I laid beside her, turning to face her. I chuckled again. "Because I'm different." I joked, knowing she wouldn't get the double meaning behind my words. She too gave a throaty chuckle, , scooting over to snuggle up to me, my wolf practically howling as she placed a hand on my chest, her fingers tracing the muscle that was hidden underneath my shirt. Couldn't exactly go shirtless here, could I now?

"I know," she breathed softly and I glanced down at her. "Really? Okay, Miss Rivers, how exactly am I different?"

Those light eyes peered up at me and she smiled slightly. "Because you went for me over that girl." She whispered back and I smiled slightly. "I would have always gone for you, Eleanora, not Bella. I want you, I'll always want you, even when you're sick, dying, as close to deaths door as you can be," I stated passionately. Her eyes began to bubble with unshed tears and I brushed them away before they could fall. "I'll always want you," I whispered.

She placed a hand on my cheek, and I lowered my face to hers, both of our eyes sliding shut as our lips touched, that same, stomach clenching feeling appearing in my chest as I felt her tears against my face.

A creak at the door made us pull back, far too soon, but her Grams was standing there, and you could obviously tell by the glossy sheen in her eyes that she'd heard everything that I'd said. "I fixed us all something to eat," she said quietly, looking to Eleanora before to me. "C'mon, time for some proper food." She ordered before hurrying away, wiping her eyes as she went, and as I helped Eleanora up, she too wiped her eyes, the pale red glow to her cheeks there once more as she too knew, deep down, that her Grams had heard every single word I had spoken.


	16. Chapter 16

Clumps of black hair covered her pristine white pillows as she awoke a month into the treatment. It was a gut-wrenching sight, something she never wanted to see. Her hair was coming out in clumps, and as she stared at herself in the bathroom mirror, she willed the tears not to leak free from her shimmering blue eyes. It was heart-breaking. She swallowed her pride before coming out of the bathroom, seeing her Grams cleaning up the fallen ebony tendrils from the pillow. She sent a small smile towards Eleanora. "We knew this would eventually happen, my sweet girl." She soothed and Eleanora nodded, wrapping her arms around herself, "But what will Jake think?" She whispered, tears brewing.

Her Grams smiled a little wider as she straightened up. "You know that boy will stick by you, hair loss or not." She reassured firmly and Eleanora smiled slightly as she wiped her eyes. "I know that, but what will he think? He's coming for my birthday, and I don't want him to think any different of me, that's all." She reasoned and the older woman chuckled. "That boy will go to the ends of the earth for you, Eleanora. Come on. We'll go get some breakfast, and then we'll go for your chemo, and you can text him while you're there." She suggested.

 **(W*W)**

 _You know I don't care,_ the message from the boy had read. It brought a smile to her face, a smile that vanished as she wretched violently into the bucket provided. It at least made her feel reassured enough to soothe those paranoid worries that she knew she was overacting with deep down.

Her Grams sighed. "Just two weeks until your sixteenth, Ellie. Your father said he'll come spend the entire week with you and will go back on the 5th August." The older woman explained and her granddaughter nodded, head still bent over the bucket. She coughed before wiping her mouth. "Jake said he, Anna and Embry are coming up here to see me too. Carrie said she'll be here on the 30th." She whispered and Grams nodded with a warm smile. "I'm always welcome towards them, especially Anna. That girl might as well of saved your life, so let me tell you something my sweet love, that girl is welcome around me anytime she wants."

* * *

 **-Just a filler. I'll do a few of these throughout, but they'll normally be followed by a double update.**


	17. Chapter 17

**_Jacob's point of view_**

I couldn't contain my anticipation at the fact I would be seeing her again in a little under ten minutes as we headed to the apartment, Sheila, Eleanora's Grams, driving us all there. Carrie sat in the front seat after having called shotgun, myself, Embry and Anna squished into the back. Carrie had been assigned the sofa, Embry and Anna having been assigned putty up beds in the Guestroom, and myself the bed, but I knew I would rather give that up to Anna, just not both of them.

The apartment came up in sight, and the door hadn't even been properly open before I barrelled in there, sweeping the previously dark haired girl up into my arms. Not a wisp of dark hair lined her head, but I didn't care. She looked beautiful even without it, something I would stick by, regardless of what other people thought. I heard the others come into the room while I was still holding Eleanora, and then she was pulled from my grasp into a hug by Carrie and Anna, no doubt. I saw Embry give her a one-armed hug too, and then she was swallowed up into another tight embrace by the two girls, her Grams chuckling to herself as she closed the door, walking into the small kitchen to offer drinks like she always did.

I soon had her back into my arms though, and I sank onto the couch with her in them. I couldn't believe she had thought I wouldn't be interested in her because she didn't have any of that silky black hair anymore. I didn't care about that. I only wanted her, only her.

She nestled herself into my grasp and I grinned. "Happy early birthday," I murmured and I could feel her smile against my skin. "Thank you," she whispered back, her eyes closing as she nestled into me, her sweet smell clouding my senses. I was at ease, the time away from her having been only comparable to complete and utter hell. I could relax now, knowing she was alright, that her heart was still beating.

 **(W*W)**

Eleanora was happier than I'd ever seen her the following morning, my own gift tucked away in my pocket as we went to the diner around the corner. She did hesitate as we went into the place though, staring down at her knotted fingers as we walked over to a table. Embry, Anna and Carrie were out exploring Phoenix, leaving us alone before her chemo appointment later this afternoon where she probably wouldn't feel up to pretty much talking with anyone.

We took a seat, ordered our food, and then we were both silent for a few minutes before I brought the little wrapped cubed box out from my pocket and gently placed it in front of her, her light coloured eyes falling on it immediately. She picked it up with a small smile, passing it from hand to hand almost nervously. I grinned. "C'mon," I teased, her eyes glittering as she also gave a slight grin. "You know you want to open it."

She pondered about that for a moment before she nodded, slowly tearing the teal coloured paper off to reveal the small jewellery box. She pulled the lid off gently, her eyes widening when she saw Mom's necklace inside. Her eyes flickered to me and back to the necklace in silent questioning, and I shook my head. "I didn't spend loads on it, if that's what you're worrying about. It was my moms, and well, I talked with dad, and he agreed you should have it." I stated and I saw the relief in her eyes. She needed to deal with the fact that I would get her things all the way up until either of us weren't here anymore. I was always going to be getting her things.

A small smile came to her face and she turned so her back was to me. "Put it on, please." She whispered, her voice thick sounding. I nodded and reached for the box, pulling the silver locket that I hadn't seen anyone wear for many years from it. I gently pulled it around her throat, clasping it shut softly. She smiled -I could see the dimple on her cheek- and she turned back around to face me, pressing a chaste kiss to my cheek before leaning into the one armed hug I offered her. She curled into me, her head tucking under mine as she softly exhaled, eyes closed.


	18. Chapter 18

Jake went home soon after, and the weeks started to slip by. I had my first check-up, my first progress meeting as such which a bunch of tests followed, and everything was going great. The cancer was diminishing in size, and I was on the eventual road to recovery, and then in about six months time, hopefully, remission.

The fall sun -October- beamed through the window as I laid in the hospital bed awaiting my scheduled heart check-up. They wanted to make sure nothing even worse had popped up, and I was anxious. I knew the last test results hadn't been great, and I knew these ones wouldn't be any better either. I stared at the IV line in my hand. I was looking forward to not seeing these anymore, the painful sting being a forgotten, almost distant memory.

Grams was sitting in the corner of the room, reading one of her many books, her eyes occasionally drifting over the top to look at me. I offered a small smile every now and again, but otherwise, I was deathly silent. I hated talking right before this kind of appointment; I always feared the worst from a cardiac check-up. I never came out of the theatre with good results.

 **(W*W)**

 ** _~Jacob's point of view~_**

Bella had been nothing but a nuisance and pain to the entire pack in the last month. Demanding to see me, badmouthing Eleanora every single chance she got. Said she didn't have cancer, her mother didn't want her, and while I knew form Ellie that she knew that one was true because her mother was a waste of space, it wasn't something she wanted spread around the towns for everyone to know and gossip about.

The one that said she was whoring around in Phoenix struck a nerve with me; I could feel her through our imprint bond, and although I couldn't see everything she was doing, I certainly knew she wasn't cheating or anything of that kind. That disgusted me that she would stoop to a low like that, all because I'd told she couldn't have her cake, or rather the leech, and me too, and that I didn't want her, only Eleanora now. I was furious, and when I stormed into Sam and Em's like I had a thunderstorm rolling and rumbling around inside my head, everyone already knew why.

Anna gave me a small smile, reaching across to squeeze my hand. "She's desperate, Jake," she soothed from where she sat on Embry's knees at the small, four chaired kitchen table, her dark hair braided over one shoulder. She shrugged. "You know Eleanora; she isn't that kind of girl. She would never do that to you."

I nodded, running a hand through my cropped, dark hair. "I know, trust me, I do, but when that's all you hear, it gets to you. I know Elle would never do that to me." I agreed and she smiled before retracting her hand and leaning back into Embry's embrace, his arms wrapping around her waist. It also sucked to see everyone else with their imprints while mine was being stuck with needles and goodness knows what else over a thousand or so miles away in a different state.

Valerie chuckled. "I'm always up for giving her a good slap if that's what everyone wants?" She offered, pulling chuckles from most of the guys, Calvin included. She then shrugged. "Although, I do have a business to run, and considering her father is a police chief, I'll pass, _for now_ ," she muttered and Calvin grinned, settling back into his chair as she sighed softly, rolling her eyes before settling back against him, his arms wrapping around her too.

* * *

 **Author note: I know, a dramatic time skip considering last chapter was in the end of July, but this is where things will start to speed up just a little to get to the main event. Anyone guess what that'll be? ;)**


	19. Chapter 19

Weeks ticked by -first November came and went, and then December, and a Christmas I thought I would never see. I remember waking up, a small smile on my face as Grams came in to make sure I was up and awake. She looked so pleased to see that I was here, her dark eyes twinkling brightly as I smiled back at her from where I cocooned in the safe, protective warmth of my soft bedding.

Jacob came to see me on the 26th of December. He was happy, but it was also as if something was terribly wrong with him. I asked, wondered if it was me, but he reassured me it wasn't me, just something back home. I had a suspicion that the girl who'd interrupted us at the charity do was partly behind it, but I didn't push for the fear he'd become angry and leave me alone in Arizona with no one but Grams and Dad, and it was Christmas after all.

January passed in a haze of chemo appointments and more check-ups. My heart was failing quicker than expected -doctors had suggested a link between the chemo and the heart failure, the former being something I was well on my way to completing. This had been an experimental treatment, a new, aggressive form of chemo they were trialling on sicker than average patients, a category I had once fitted right into, and now? It was all because of this treatment that I would probably end up in the all clear and in remission around April, something that was less than three months away. This chemo had cut down the treatment time needed substantially, and it was from then that I could return home and be routinely checked out in the Seattle Children's Hospital to make sure everything was still going smoothly, and with my heart problems too.

I couldn't believe how fast time had gone by; it was like magic. I was sicker than a _dog_ last year, and now? My breathing and lungs were improving, something the doctors couldn't believe either. I was slowly but surely being cured of almost every problem within me, and I had never felt better, almost. The weakness came in destructive bouts, some of them knocking me off my feet for days, but those episodes were few and far between now more than ever.

I stared at the needle in my arm, one of the last few, and I texted simply, replying back to Jake with a small smile. _No parties when I come home_ , I pleaded, and I knew he would be grinning at the other end, his thoughtful, caring mind already planning something that I had just asked him not to do. The response I got came back within seconds. _We're celebrating the fact that you're still alive Ellie_ , it read, my smile softening a little as I took note of the nickname he'd stuck with. It was endearing to hear him call me the same nickname that only family and Carrie called me. It made it all that more real just how loved I knew I was between all of them, my own little forever family, hopefully.

 _We could celebrate just you and I instead?_ I sent back after a moment of silent deliberation and courage gathering. I quickly added another sentence. _We'll have been together ten months when I come back..._ I sent, no answer after a few minutes making me anxious.

The phone buzzed in my hand, and I could have smiled so hard my face broke. _Just wait for a year for what I think you're thinking of ;)_ , was what came back. I laughed softly under my breath as I leant back in the soft, plush comfortable chair that I'd gotten used to over the past months. _Just a year_? I sent back. _I'm counting down the days until June now_ , I finished and the response was immediate. _So am I Ellie, so am I._

* * *

 **The next few chapter will probably be fillers. This is just to speed things up, and once she returns to La Push, the chapters will become increasingly longer as then I'm able to fit much more content. Plus, shorter chapters equals quicker updates for you amazing people :)**


	20. Chapter 20

Dr Jefferson gave me a warm smile as I sat opposite her, the latest results from my last round of tests to see if I was in remission clutched in her hands. I truly hoped I was. As much as I had grown to love Arizona over these last nine months, I was truly ready to head back home to La Push, and to Jake.

She gave me a wider smile. "As you know, this was an experimental form of treatment, and it drastically cuts down the time needed for treatment, and while it doesn't always work in its patients, you seem to have been the exception to that little snag, Miss Rivers. It would appear from your latest test results that all traces of lymphoma are gone from your body. As you know, we did very extensive scans and tests, but it would appear that you are officially in remission." She concluded with a wide smile.

 _Remission_ , my breath caught at that so much longed for word and I could feel the tears starting to trickle down my face. I was in remission... No more cancer, no more kidney troubles, just my ever ailing heart that was getting worse as time went on. I swallowed the ever so fast rising lump and nodded jerkily, my legs unsteady as Grams, Dad and I made to leave the room, tears shining in both their eyes as they smiled wide as hell smiles, both wrapping themselves around me as we got to the parking lot. I wept in their arms. _I'm coming home Jake, I'm coming home_!

 **(W*W)  
 _~Jacob's point of view~_**

The text I received on the 7th April set everything in stone, everything that I'd hoped for, strived for, and was now coming out as I'd planned.

 _I'm in remission,_ was the text message I'd gotten, along with a tearful, sobbing phone call about how she was coming home after nine long months away from La Push. I was overcome with just utter joy. She would live, and now, we just had to hope she would find another heart that'd replace her own ailing one before it gave out, and while she wasn't out of danger yet and deaths clutches, it was nice to feel some relief.

The streamers hung from the porch, the whole pack fraught with laughter as they chatted amongst themselves. _Almost here_ , the message read, the phone buzzing in my hand as I held it tightly, eagerly awaiting each message, not even caring how ultimately whipped it made me look to everyone else, for with every message I received from her, it just reassured me that her heart was still beating, although struggling, in her chest.

A hum of a car engine reached my ears, and soon, just a few minutes, the all too familiar beat up car that her Grams owned trundled into view of everyone who'd gathered. It wasn't just the pack here. A few residents from both towns had came to see how she'd fared after all the aggressive treatment she'd undergone, and I couldn't have felt more proud as I saw her in the back seat, her head bowed as she no doubt typed up on her phone to me, mine buzzing telling me my assumption had been right. I looked at it, but the slam of a car door and a body hitting mine took my attention away just as I wound my arms tight enough to break bones around her, my face buried in her hair as I inhaled that all too familiar, all too longed for, smell of complete and utter heaven filling my head.

Light blue eyes peered up at me, a small smile accompanying them. "I thought we agreed on no surprise parties or gatherings?" She whispered, the mere sound of her voice like a harmonic symphony to my eagerly awaiting ears. I grinned, trying not to be overcome with emotion and shed tears like a cissy girl as the mere sound of her voice, and that she was _alive and healed_ of one of the worst diseases ever impacted me like I knew it would've done.

I maintained my grin though. "And I thought we'd not linger on the fact I organised one but instead just be happy you're still here," I countered and her smile said it all. Eleanora nodded as she pressed her mouth chastely to mine before she pulled back. "And I know we did." She murmured before I dragged her mouth back to mine, both of us grinning at the whooping coming from the others who surrounded us.

 **(W*W)**

Curled up with her, watching a movie, was the simplest way to spend the rest of an afternoon, but I cherished every single precious moment. While I missed the raven locks that had curled down her shoulders and tickled my exposed skin, I didn't mind the change, and all because it meant that I had her back, albeit still not out of complete danger, but I had her ultimately back, for now, and hopefully for the rest of our lives.

X-men, the same movie we'd seen in the cinema last year, played on the television up in her room on the DVD player, and we laid there contentedly, her little self nestled quite comfortably in my scorching hot arms. She gave a little sigh every once in a while, the difference not being the need for that breathing apparatus during the day, but I knew she had to wear a mask at night. Apparently they'd done something in Phoenix, another type of experimental treatment, and it had healed her ailing lungs somewhat, but not completely, that too a work in progress.

Blue eyes glanced up at me before back to the television, an action I didn't miss as her cheeks darkened. I grinned a little, and I gently nudged her to capture her attention. "What you going red about?" I teased and she laughed softly, a cherished and much longed for sound. I grinned wider and she sighed softly. "I was just wondering about, _stuff_ , I guess." She shrugged.

I frowned. "What stuff you wondering about?"

Her cheeks flamed. "Stuff that goes a little but further than kissing." She admitted quietly and I glanced down at her. "I won't until you're better," I stated firmly, not wanting to push boundaries that had to absolutely be set until she was totally and completely on the road to recovery.

Eleanora sat up, her head shaking and cheeks flaming as though they had been lit on fire. "No!" She exclaimed. " _Not that far_!" She whisper-yelled and I made an ahing sound. "What? Making out? That the sort of other stuff you were thinking about?" I loved riling her up, within reason, if only to see that pretty ruby red adorn her russet coloured cheeks, and she didn't disappoint as the lovely colour flooded her skin.

She laughed softly, albeit her laugh wavered a little. "What? I've never actually made out while watching a movie! I didn't exactly have time for boys in-between doctors appointments and being home-schooled." She defended and I held my hands up, her own coming up and lacing our fingers together, her warm, hot petite hands cradled in my much hotter and much larger ones. I grinned widely before swooping her under me, her startled squeak making me pause, wondering if I'd hurt her, but her eager mouth on mine made me lose all train of thought, and as her hands tangled in my hair and mine in hers, I couldn't help but thank whatever deity out there and the spirits that she was still here with me.


	21. Chapter 21

Life slowly slipped back into normal ish, a life I could well and truly get used to. I didn't have school until the fall, meaning that while I would be a year behind everyone else, I was till aiming to graduate at eighteen years old, and although I knew I would struggle, I was determined to do it.

Jake was there every single step of the way since I'd came back. He took me to some appointments when Grams was unwell, standing by dutifully and trying to maintain his cool each and every single time I was jabbed, poked and stabbed with needles and other sharp implements. I remained calm in front of him, determined to not let my fear of each approaching day show in front of him, but I knew he knew how scared I was, especially every time I had weekly check-ups to make sure I wasn't going quicker than I should be.

The message I relieved on the twelfth of May was an unusual message. _You'd stick by me through anything, right?_ It'd read, and I remembered frowning, my mind going into overdrive as I imagined the worse possible outcome behind that message. What was going on? _Of course_ , I had replied, and he ha been silent for a few minutes. _Good. I need to show you something. Think you're up to coming out this morning,_ he's wrote back.

So here I was, waiting for him to pick me up. I heard the rumbling engine of the Rabbit before I saw it, and I wrung my hands nervously as I walked down the steps towards the car, swallowing my nerves. Why was I panicking so much? I had been through so much, and I was terrified!

I climbed into the car and before I put my belt on, I turned to face Jake immediately. "We're cool right? You have me panicking and I'm really worried." I whispered shakily.

Horror filled his eyes and he reached over to take a hold of one of my hands. "Of course! We're fine, Ellie, I just want to show you something, that's all, but you have to promise me you keep calm and don't freak out, or I won't show you, agreed?" He warned, and I nodded in an instant, not wanting him to leave if he thought I would freak out. I could remain cool, calm and collected during what he was going to show me.

I nodded, taking a deep breath before I nodded again. "Yes," I breathed, and his eyes showed his ultimate relief. "I can keep calm for you."

 **(W*W)**

Jake pulled off onto a dirt road in the forest, and I climbed out, wrapping my arms around myself, smiling gratefully when he pulled his jacket out of the car and draped it over my shoulders. He took a hold of my hand, a bag slung over his shoulders, and I frowned at the bag, but he shook his hand, leading me along a worn out dirt path that looked like it was regularly trampled upon by a horde of people.

He stopped around ten minutes walk into the humongous forest, and I gazed around me before noticing he was motioning for me to take a seat on a boulder that looked rather conveniently placed to be totally honest. He lifted me up onto it with no strain whatsoever, and while I adjusted my seating on it, he placed his hands on my sides, staring up at me.

He seemed to take a deep, internal breath before he took a seat beside me on the boulder, pulling himself up as though he'd done this many a time beforehand. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you for a long, long time now." He began, and I stared down at my knotted fingers. This was it -it was all coming to an end. His fingers found the underside of my jaw and he tipped it sideways so I was looking at him. "I am not breaking up with you under any circumstance," he swore and a weight was released from my shoulders then, and I looked squarely at him. "Then why are we here, Jake? I'm worrying. You're acting weird. You want me to remain calm but you aren't helping me remain calm!" I answered desperately.

Jake nodded, taking my hands into his own. "I-" he trailed off, taking a deep breath. "I don't know how to tell you, but I can show you." He stated before hopping down from the rock, gently pulling me down with him. I slid off the hard stone, and instead leant against it as he pulled off his sweater. I smiled slightly, rolling my eyes. "I'm not playing a stripping game with you in the woods." I joked and he laughed with a grin, kicking his shoes off, leaving him in just his pants and socks. I raised a brow, then they furrowed as I saw something that looked like _steam_ coming off of his skin, and then he burst into a familiar, giant, copper coloured wolf complete with the razor sharp teeth that I had seen before.

Oh my God.

What was _he_? I stared at him with something akin to both wariness and wonder. How can he just burst into a giant wolf like that? I mean, I knew the stories of our tribe, don't get me wrong, but for them to be real? I felt nauseated with how panicky I was starting to feel. Did this also mean cold ones were real? What were they if the protectors were werewolves? Vampires? Their natural born enemy I guess?

Jake, or rather wolfy Jake, gave a whining nudge against my trembling hand, and it pulled me from the premature panic attack I was about to fall into. I stared down at him, my eyes wide as I gaped at his humongous copper coloured wolf in front of me, the razor sharp teeth drawing my attention in an instant. He wouldn't hurt me. He was the wolf from around a year ago, and he certainly hadn't hurt me then, but rather listened, and while I felt angry for the fact he'd known that information before I personally had told him in his _human_ form, I guess, he hadn't told the entire reservation that I was the kid of a drug whore who hadn't wanted and had tried to kill me before I was even able to fend for myself.

I reached out, my fingers trailing over the rusty brown coloured fur of his coat, a small smile coming to my face as I revelled in its softness. I then looked into the same dark chocolatey brown eyes I knew and loved so much. "Change back please so we can talk?" I asked in a whisper so soft that only he could have heard it. He gave a bowing nod of his giant wolf head before disappearing behind some undergrowth and strategically placed trees, dragging that bag that'd he'd brought with him.

Jake reappeared in less than a minute, no shirt, but his shoes, cut off shorts and nothing else. I swallowed as he approached slowly, almost cautiously, gauging my reaction to this life changing piece of information. I swallowed thickly. "Why couldn't you just tell me?" I whispered gently, his eyes widening a little when he realised I wasn't major freaking our like I think he assumed I would've done.

Brown eyes watched me carefully as he walked closer, shreds of clothing surrounding us both. "I didn't know how you'd react," he answered back just as gently, a sheepish smile on his face. "Some of the other girls freaked out when the guys told them about all of this -Anna was one of them. She didn't speak to Embry for a whole month after learning he was a wolf, and I didn't want that to happen to us." He reasoned.

I nodded jerkily before moving so we were face to face, and I reached out, my fingers trailing over his face to make sure that he was indeed the same person in the flesh. He smiled slightly, a slight quirk of the lips making me feel more at ease. I rested my hands against his bare chest. "I told you about my biological mother, and you didn't tell anyone." I whispered, his smile softening a little as he nodded. "I explained to the pack, the rest of the people like me, about why you needed all this stuff done, but I didn't go into specifics. I wanted you to feel like you could tell me in your own time, not feel pressured or scared about doing so." He explained.

My head bobbed. "I know you did, and you have no idea how much I value that. I couldn't care if you were a horrible creature who looked hideous in whatever form you were in because you're still Jacob, the boy determined to make me see my eighteenth birthday and all the rest of them that'll hopefully follow. I don't care about the face you all but explode into a giant copper coloured wolf, Jake, because I care for _you_ too much, the boy on this inside, not what's on the outside," I whispered, and I knew my words had gotten to him by the slight sheen on his eyes. He swallowed thickly and nodded, reaching out to cup my face in his abnormally hot hands. I placed mine over them. "But I want to be told everything. No more secrets, no more keeping things back, no more explaining things away, I want to know _everything_." I stated firmly.

Jake nodded with a slight grin. "Yeah, that I think I can do. You up to meeting some new faces?"

I don't know why, but a slight bubble of excitement and anticipation swept through me, and even after being shown the impossible, I wanted to see more, and I wanted to know more.

 **(W*W)**

The drive to a small, isolated house that seemed to be a beautiful little homey place was short, and as he turned the engine off, he turned to look at me. "You still sure you want to do this? The rest of them can be a little excitable." He grinned and I rolled my eyes, a small smile on my face. "At least I know where you get it from then." I teased and he chuckled. "Touché. C'mon then, Miss Rivers, lets go see everyone else. Oh, and I wouldn't stare at Em." He stated before climbing out of the car, and I too climbed out, his hand threading through mine as we walked towards the petite little house that looked like it was plucked straight from a fairy-tale book.

A handful of people were inside, and Anna was one of them, her raven haired self seated on Embry's lap as she laughed at something someone else said. Jake pulled me beside him, giving a mocking knock on the door. "Look who decided to come and meet everyone." He announced, and as if on cue, about seven pairs of eyes swivelled to face us, my anxiety rising somewhat. Anna grinned. "About time you found out!" She exclaimed, her eyes shining. I gave a slight smile back. "Yeah, I already told him." I murmured and Jake grinned, pulling me further into the room.

I was swiftly introduced to everyone, or at least those who were in the room. Jared, Paul, Sam, Emily, or Em as Jake had called her in the car, and despite the horrific scars marring her russet skinned face, she was still extraordinarily beautiful. Anna and Embry were here, along with Quil, another one of Jake's closest friends. He was as energetic and cheerful as they came. There were loads more 'pack' members, but they were out running patrol or something like that, protecting the reservation.

Emily was an outright sweetheart, her warm smile reminding me of Grams. "Will you be staying for food, or is this just a quick drop in?" She asked softly and Jake shook his head. "Not today, I have some more explaining to do." He said with a glance at me, and her smile was warm.

 **(W*W)**

Rain splattered against the car window, and as we sat with the car engine on, the heater running as to keep me toasty warm as we both at in the back, my feet propped up on his lap, I was as relaxed as can be. I adjusted my feet and leant my head back against the glass, his eyes on me as I sighed softly again, my hands clasped on my lap.

"You know some of the main legends, right?"

I nodded gently. "Yeah, I know of some of them." I whispered and he smiled slightly. "Well, as you know, the Quileute tribe settled in La Push and became efficient fishermen and shipbuilders. As time passed, other peoples coveted their land and moved against them for it. The tribe was small and could not defend themselves, so they took their ships and left the land. At sea, Kaheleha used the magic in their blood to defend it. He was the first Spirit Chief in Quileute history. He and all the men left the ships in spirit only, using the original power of Quileute Astral Projection, leaving their bodies behind under the care of the women. Though they could not physically hurt the enemy, the warriors had other ways. They blew fierce winds into enemy camps; they could make great screaming in the wind and could manipulate animals to do their bidding. Animals were the only ones that could see them and help. The invading tribe had packs of thick-furred dogs to pull their sleds in the north, and which were set against them. Bats were brought out of the cliff caverns. As a result, the dogs and bats won and the survivors of the invaders scattered thinking the harbour cursed. The Quileute's released the dogs, who ran wild, and returned to their bodies victorious, and because of this, the Hohs and the Makah's made treaties with the Quileute's because they wanted nothing to do with their magic." He went over and I nodded with a small smile. "Go on then."

"Generations passed and the last of the great Spirit Chiefs came to be. Taha Aki was a man of peace and was known for his wisdom. However there was one man named Utlapa who believed that they should use their magic to expand their control over the Hohs and the Makahs, building an empire. When the spirit warriors left their bodies their minds were all connected with each other. Taha Aki did not like what Utlapa wanted and banned him from the tribe. Utlapa left and hid in the nearby forest.  
Taha Aki was vigilant and protected his people even when there was no danger. Every so often, the Spirit Chief would leave the village to a sacred and secret place in the mountains. He would leave his body behind and searched the surrounding areas for any dangers or threats. One day, Utlapa followed Taha Aki planning to kill him, but as he waited for him to leave his body he hatched another plan. Utlapa left his body, took Taha Aki's body, and killed his own. Taha Aki knew immediately what was happening when Utlapa joined him in the spirit world. He raced back to his sacred place but was too late. He followed his body in his spirit self down to the tribe. For weeks he watched with despair as Utlapa made sure everyone believed he was Taha Aki. Then Utlapa's first edict came: no warrior was to enter the spirit world because he had a vision of danger, but in truth he was afraid of Taha Aki. Utlapa took liberties with the tribe that no one ever dreamed of. He took a second and a third wife, even though Taha Aki's wife still lived. Eventually, Taha Aki brought a great wolf down the mountains to kill Utlapa and free the tribe, but Utlapa only hid from it behind his warriors. The wolf ended up killing a young man, making Taha Aki's grief greater. Taha Aki had been away from his body long enough to be in agony. He felt doomed of never being ever to cross the line between life and death. The great wolf followed him through the forest and Taha Aki felt jealous of the animal; at least it had a body and a life. At that moment the Spirit Chief had an idea that changed the future of the Quileute's. He asked the animal if he could share his body with him and the wolf complied. As a single being, the wolf and the man went to the village. The people feared the wolf, shouting for the warriors' help. The warriors came with spears in their hands, but they stopped in surprise of what the wolf was doing: the wolf was retreating from the warriors and trying to yelp the songs of their people. The warriors realized what it was doing and could only think that it was being influenced by a spirit. An old warrior, Yut, disobeyed the orders of the false chief and left his body. Yut gathered the truth in an instant and welcomed Taha Aki. Almost instantly, Utlapa realized what had happened and raced towards Yut's body with his knife. The other warriors were confused. Yut went back into his body but could not fight Utlapa off before warning the others, as he was too old. Taha Aki watched as Yut's spirit left the world and he returned to the wolf's body feeling a great rage. The wolf shuddered and transformed into a man before the eyes of the warriors. The man did not look like Taha Aki's body, but like his spirit self, which the warriors recognized instantly. Utlapa tried to run but Taha Aki had the strength of the wolf and killed him. Upon realization of what had happened, everything returned to normal. The only change he kept in place was the forbidding of spirit travel. From then on he was known as the Great Wolf or the Spirit Man. He led the tribe for many years because he did not age. He fathered many sons, who in time found that they too could turn into wolves on reaching manhood. However, they were all different because the wolf form reflected the spirit of the man. Some became warriors like Taha Aki and did not age, others did not like to transform, and started to age." He told me, and I nodded throughout his speaking, finding myself drawn into how powerful their own special legends were.

"You're all descended from Taha Aki?" I asked softly and he nodded. "Yeah. Some have a more direct line than others, making them more likely to phase, as we call it, and become a wolf." He explained. I nodded, moving into his grasp when he motioned for me to come and sit beside him. I propped myself up on his lap, stretching my legs out to where I'd just been sitting. His warm hand rubbed against my back as he began to continue telling their legends.

"After Taha Aki gave up his spirit self, trouble began in the North with the Makah's. Several young women had disappeared and they believed the neighbouring wolves were to blame. However, all the wolves knew it was none of them because their minds were still connected with each other. Taha Aki did not want a war, especially since he could not lead his people any longer. He gave his eldest son, Taha Wi, the responsibility of finding who was to blame. Taha Wi led five wolves in search through mountains looking for evidence but they only found a strange, sweet scent. They followed it and the journey took them so far north that Taha Wi sent the two younger brothers back to inform the chief. Taha Wi and the other two never returned. A year later, two Makah maidens were taken from their homes on the same night and the Makah's called upon the wolves. The Quileute's found the same sweet scent and went on the hunt once more. Only one of them returned. Yaha Uta, the eldest son of Taha Aki's third wife, returned carrying strange cold pieces of a corpse. He described what had happened to his brothers. One of them underestimated the strength of the creature and became a victim. Yaha Uta and his other brother were more careful but the creature matched their movements and got his hands on one of them. Yaha Uta found an opening on the creature's throat and began tearing at him desperately trying to save his brother. It was too late but he succeeded in ripping his enemy apart."

I inhaled sharply. "Cold ones." I murmured, glancing up at him. "Vampires, right?"

Jake nodded. "Yeah. There's one coven that lives around here -The Cullens." I stiffened a little at that. "Dr Cullen?" I clarified and he nodded with a hard look. "Yeah. Remember Bella from June, the one who interrupted our first kiss?" He asked and I scowled, remembering that selfish cow. He chuckled, looking at the look on my face. "Yeah, _her_ , well, she married one of _them_ in August when you were in Phoenix. She still hasn't stopped bothering me, but it isn't as bad as before. It didn't stop her from attempting to badmouth you, mind you, but it didn't work. No one paid her any attention. I actually think it did her more harm," he chuckled.

He then shrugged and began speaking again, tucking me tighter against him so I was swallowed whole by his unnatural warmth. "Yaha Uta laid the remains of the creature on the ground to be examined. Suddenly the corpse began to attach itself together and so the elders set fire to it. They spread the ashes far and wide, except a small bag which Taha Aki wore around his neck to be warned if the creature ever decided to get himself together again. The creature was called the Cold One and the Blood Drinker. They feared there were others like it since they only had one wolf protector left. Then came the Cold Woman, its mate. She was the most beautiful creature to be seen, though one small boy claimed the smell hurt his nose. An elder heard this and yelled for them to get away. He was the first to die at the mercy of the woman. She then proceeded to the other people until Yaha Uta arrived, followed by Taha Aki, his third wife, and the elders. When Yaha Uta was defeated, Taha Aki turned into an old grey wolf with the strength given by his anger alone. He began fighting the Cold Woman, when his third wife came to a conclusion. She had just seen her son killed and now her husband ran a terrible danger, along with the rest of her sons and tribe. She heard every word the witnesses told the council and heard Yaha Uta's version of events the night the other one was beaten. She knew that his brother's divergence had saved him. She grabbed a knife from one of her sons, ran towards the blood drinker and stabbed herself in the heart. The Cold Woman could not turn away from the fresh blood and gave in to the thirst. Taha Aki bit her throat and finished her off along with two of his sons who felt such rage at seeing their mother dead that they turned into wolves. After that, Taha Aki never returned to his human self, staying to protect his wife's body and leaving to the forest never to return to the tribe."

I inhaled sharply and he nodded. "Yeah, it isn't pretty, but it was because of her sacrifice that he lived. " He answered gently and I nodded jerkily. "It just isn't exactly something you hear of every day." I replied and he nodded, a small smile on his face. "Do you feel better now that you now more?" He asked quietly.

A small smile spread across my face. "I don't care what you are, Jake, only who you are, and your actions in these past months have told me more than I'll ever need to know." I whispered, laying a hand on his hot cheek. He gave a slight grin, pressing a kiss to the palm of my hand as he wound his arms around me tighter. "So, is your abnormal bodily heat a part of being a wolf?" I asked quietly as I nestled into him and he chuckled, his chest rumbling against my head. "Oh yeah. A lot of things come with being a wolf. I mean, being unnaturally tall. I'm 6'7 feet tall, and quite bulked up, and that only happened about three months before you joined public school." He explained.

I stared up at him. "And what does this other things include?" I asked and he grinned. "I'm not telling you anymore than that," he refused with a wide ass grin. I laughed sweetly, pressing a kiss to his cheek before nestling into his hold once more. "I don't care as long as I have you." I whispered and he grinned back, looking down at me as he pressed a kiss onto my hairless head. "You too, Ellie, you too."


	22. Chapter 22

I couldn't keep the slight grin off of my face as I stared at my short, yet now noticeable hair. It was just reaching the tips of my ears, and while I wished it would be longer, I knew it would take time, and time was all I had right now.

My chest throbbed with barely muted pain as I laid in the hospital bed, my arm full of needles and tubes that were pumping me full of goodness knows what. I could see rain splattering against the window, and the Space Needle, from the bed. Seattle Children's Hospital; considering I hadn't been discharged yet, I knew the latest biopsy results weren't good either.

Jake finished messaging one of the guys, or Leah, and shoved his phone in his pocket before flashing me an easy grin, a one that soon dimmed as he noticed how worried I was. "You don't know yet, Ellie." He reassured, and I hummed with a tight smile. "Yeah, I know, but when they take this long, it never means anything good." I explained and he sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. "What could be the worst outcome?"

I sighed softly too, running a hand through my short hair. "I could need to stay here, or need to go back in for another surgery to fit an artificial heart pump that'll help keep me going for a while longer. I'll probably end up on the transplant list." I listed them off and he nodded, a little more stiffer than before. "And all of these would require you to remain here?"

I nodded again. "Yeah, pretty much." I murmured.

He was silent for a few minutes and he then raked a hand through his hair, frustrated. "I just got you back, Ellie." He grumbled and I snapped my eyes to him. "You don't think I know that?" I demanded angrily. "I didn't ask to be born with all these problems! You want to blame someone? Blame my disgusting, abusive mother. She's the one who smoked crack, shot herself up with heroin amongst other things while she was pregnant with me, not to mention drank as much as she could! I didn't ask to be born like this Jake, and grumbling to me about how you just got me back isn't going to change a thing, is it?" I snapped.

His dark brown eyes flitted to me as he remained silent, and I scowled, just as the doctor, a pretty young woman with dark auburn hair and pretty green eyes, came through the door, a clipboard and file in her hand. She gave me a warm smile, oblivious to the tension in the room as she gently closed the door behind her. "Hi Eleanora, I'm Dr Collins," she greeted, her expression not giving anything away. I gave a weak smile, Jacob watching her closely.

She pulled a chair up, taking a seat beside me as I sat in bed, my hand folded in my lap. She gave me a warm smile. "How're you feeling?" She asked and I grimaced. "In a little pain, but I'm used to it." I replied and she nodded. "A nurse will be in shortly with some pain medication for you as soon as we're done talking. How do you think your biopsy went?" She asked seriously.

I grimaced again. "Not good?" I asked and she gave a tight smile. "Not good." She confirmed. "The organ, your heart, is deteriorating faster than we expected. Someone will be in later to explain specifics when your Grams is back, but this is just a talk about what'll happen." She explained and I nodded, more subdued than before as dread began to set in. "So what will this mean?" I murmured.

Dr Collins gave a glance at the paperwork in front of her. "What we'd like to do is take you back in, more than likely tomorrow afternoon, and fit an artificial heart pump that'll take some of the strain off of your heart while we wait for a donor organ to replace it." She explained and I swallowed. She gave me a look before glancing back towards her papers. "Have the doctors in Forks explained what this'll mean to you?" She asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, it would mean I can't leave until I have the transplant or I..." I trailed off, seeing Jake gave a violent shudder beside me, his tall form ridged. Dr Collins gave me a sympathetic look. "Well, hopefully it won't come to that." She reassured and I nodded. "Does that mean I'll be on the heart transplant list then?" I asked and she nodded. "Yes. We've placed you on it effective immediately. Its now just a matter of waiting."

 **(W*W)**

Jake was sullen afterwards, and I stewed quietly, Grams saying she was going home to pick up some things, call dad and tell him what mess I was in now. I had been texting with Carrie since, and he would occasionally text one of the guys, or Leah, or one of the imprints to talk to the guys, but he hadn't said anything since.

The silence was uncomfortable, and I swallowed, my eyes flickering over to his lounging self as he sat in the chair beside me. I swallowed again, and he flickered his eyes to me before looking back to his phone. I kept my eyes on him. "Say something, please," I whispered.

He was silent for a moment before he tossed his phone down on the small table beside him. "And say what? That I could lose you, this time without a doubt? Permanently? How the hell am I meant to live with that?"

I turned, my eyes wide. "You think I'm pleased about this? I knew this would happen, Jake! I hate this! I hate being in hospitals and clinics and surgeries! I hate it! I never wanted all of these problems, so you want to blame someone, blame my fucked up mother!" I snapped and he scowled, pushing the chair back and moving in front of the window, his back to me. I swallowed, staring down at my knotted hands. "I didn't want this, Jake."

Jake kept silent, his form slightly shaking. "I know, Eleanora," he grumbled through clenched teeth, his form ridged, and I swallowed. "Then if you want to sulk and silently fume beside me, I think you should go," I whispered, and he whirled around, his anger written on his face. "What?" He demanded, still too riled up to have a decent conversation with him.

I kept my eyes on my knotted hands. "I'm stressed enough, Jake, and I don't need this right now, not when I'm steeling myself for an operation that I know is dangerous. Please, just go, clear your head." I whispered and he was silent, but then stormed from the room, the door slamming shut behind him, and I jumped at the horrid sound, tears pooling in my eyes as I laid back down, squeezing my eyes shut to hide my salty tears.


	23. Chapter 23

Warm light flooded the room as I laid in the uncomfortable hospital bed, staring at the drawn curtains as I laid there, my eyes blank as I stared at the glowing curtains. Grams had left to talk to Jake last night, not too long after he left. I hated that he reacted like that. He had no right to react like that. I was the one who was laying here, hooked up to machines, barely conscious, and yet he was the one who thought he had the right to pile more stress and worries atop of me.

My phone buzzed on the nightstand for the seventeenth time this morning. I knew it would be him. I didn't want to talk via text messages. He should be here, supporting me, comforting me, not begging for my forgiveness through text messages because he was being too cowardly to come and talk to me face to face. I wasn't going to answer, no way in hell was I going to answer, and I would rather die before I answered him.

A knock on the door drew my attention, Nurse Collins coming into view with Dr Rodgers, the man who would perform my transplant when it came to the fact that I would need one and there was one ready. They were both smiling, something that made my heart stop. "Great news..."

 **(W*W)**

 ** _*Jacob's point of view*_**

I picked at the muffin that Ms Rivers had made me, finding it wasn't that bad when you compared it to Ems. The aging woman sat down across the table from me, pushing a cup of strong tea towards me. "You've stuck by my granddaughter since she was almost sixteen, and now she's seventeen. A small tiff won't make my respect for you simply go away." She sighed.

My head bobbed as I chewed on the muffin. "I just, I don't understand how I'm meant to cope with this. I just got used to her being back, healthier but not completely healthy than before, happy, cheerful, and life was just starting to settle down. I want to marry her when we're a little older, have a family with her when she's able to, and now this might end up winning out and ruining all of those plans. I hate having things now going to plan." I grumbled.

Ms Rivers nodded after a moment. "I know you want to do those things, but things don't always go according to plan. I know you love my granddaughter, Jacob, but have you told her that? My Ellie has a lot of problems, one being that she doesn't always believe that people truly love her. Now, do I doubt she thinks you love her, no. But I doubt she truly believes it." She soothed.

I froze as I thought that through. The look of utter heartbreak on her face as she told me to leave, the glimmer of long forgotten tears in her eyes as she stared after me as I stormed out of the room, the door slamming behind her, a flinch no doubt wracking her slim body as the sound echoed around the room. I was so lost in thoughts that I didn't hear the phone ring, notice Ms Rivers leave the table, or her come back, until she placed a wrinkled hand on my shoulder. "Come on, Jacob, we're needed at the hospital."

 **(W*W)**

I didn't even wait for the car to pull into the parking lot before I leapt from it and sprinted towards the tall building that was the Seattle's Children's Hospital, legs cramped from the almost four hour drive that it took to get here. I sprinted up the stairs, still now knowing why we had to urgently get here, my oxygen supply vanishing as I came to an empty room, eyes wide as I took in the nurse cleaning the hospital bed, Eleanora nowhere in sight.

The nurse looked at me as I let out a strangled choke. "Are you alright? Can I help you?"

I was about to answer when a familiar voice stopped me. "Jake?" I whirled around, finding the one person I'd been looking for stood behind me, looking frail as she held onto her IV stand, her blue eyes watching me beneath a frazzled mop of dark black curls. Air shuddered back into my lungs as I walked over and pulled her into a hug, taking note to be careful of all the tubes and wires in her body. Her shaking hands wound around me, and I pulled back, ready to tell her what was long overdue, but she shook her head. "No, don't say anything." She whispered, pressing a finger over my parted lips, something she had to stretch to do so, pulling at the tubes and wires, so I lowered her hand, pressing a kiss to the back of her fingers as I did so.

My mouth opened but she shook her head, and I took note of her changed attire. A plastic cap, a different nightgown, a doctor and nurse stood behind her, dressed in sterile green scrubs while they talked quietly to give us some privacy. "What's going on?" I muttered quietly.

She gave me a warm smile, happy tears shining in her eyes. "A heart became available," she whispered, my own stopping as I heard those perfect words that, although they meant someone had lost their life in order to give something so precious, it meant the most precious thing in my life would live and we could start planning our life.

I exhaled slowly. "You're going to live?" I breathed and she nodded tearfully just as her Grams came around the corner, tears shining in her own eyes as she flung her arms around her granddaughter, Ellie hugging back with tears in her eyes, fingers digging into the older woman's back.

They released each other, and Eleanora looked at me. "Tell me what you wanted to tell me afterwards," she stated softly, a small smile on her precious face that I would see for many years to come. "Tell me after, Jake, and be there when I wake up so I have something to look forward to."


	24. Chapter 24

My eyes fluttered open weakly, a constant beeping noise and something down my throat making me want to be sick. I knew what it was a ventilator, but it didn't make it any easier. A hand squeezed mine gently, and I tiredly opened my eyes, flickering them over to the one person who'd caused all of this to happen in the last year and a half. If it wasn't for him, I would've been deader than dead.

Jake gave me a warm smile, Dad and Grams sat beside him, the former making tears come to my eyes. Dad gave me a tender smile, reaching over and placing his hand over mine. "Hey Ellie," he whispered, his warm brown eyes sweeping over my tube and wire covered form, at least what was visible form under the sheet that was lightly drawn up to protect my modesty. I blinked back tears. "Hey, no tears," Dad murmured, stroking his thumb over the back of my hand, over my knuckles. "Plenty of time for them, but not now. Now is a happy moment. You're going to grow up, get married, have kids of your own, and all because this boy sent the ball rolling at the beginning."

I looked at the boy beside me who was listening with a small smile. Mustering every bit of strength I had, I gave his hand as tight a squeeze as I could, which, however, wasn't very strong at all, but he still gave a small grin at the effort. "Your dads right. No tears, just rest. The ventilator will come out in just a few days or so. Everything went great, Ellie. You're gonna be just fine."

And that was what I had been waiting to hear for years.

 **(W*W)**

 _ **~Jacob's point of view~**_

Day five. Weary eyes watched me, still hidden beneath a ton of wires and tubes that led into her slender form, a sheet still drawn up to protect her modesty. I hadn't been here when they needed to take the sheet off to check wires and tubes, only her Grams had been, her father also leaving to get coffee for us all, bar Ellie, every time that needed to happen. She had wept with fresh pain when they pulled her breathing tube out, my jaw clenching as I tried to control the shakes that threatened to appear at the sound of her hoarse cries and the sight of her fresh tears.

I hadn't told her yet, and yet, I knew I had to. I desperately wanted to, and she was watching me like she knew something was up. Her hand, still punctured with needles that I never wished to see again, laid itself over mine. "What you hiding from me?" She croaked, her voice still hoarse from not being used for four days. I offered a warm smile. "Nothing, but we need to talk. Remember when I told you I wanted to tell you something?" I asked.

Eleanora was silent for a moment as she thought back to what she had described as her foggy moments before the lengthy surgery happened, but then she nodded slowly, careful not to hurt herself or disturb the wires. "I remember," she whispered, her voice cracking. "What was it?"

I reached over, moving my plastic chair a little closer. She turned her head to me, a small yet weak smile on her face. "We've been together for what, a year and half just about?" I clarified, She nodded with a small smile. "Since the twenty second of May," She whispered and I nodded with a warm smile. "We sure have. And when I was talking with your Grams before your operation, when she was offering me her wise words of wisdom," I stated dramatically, making a wide smile, although pained, come to her beautiful face. I gave a slight grin, although it was softer than normal. "And she made me realise that I haven't once said that I love you," I whispered.

Her smile shrank a little, a look of panic overtaking her face. "No," she whispered hoarsely. "Don't say that unless you absolutely mean it," she gasped. I shook my head, grasping more firmer yet still gentler her hand, and I gave it a light squeeze, making sure not to disturb the tubes in her hand. "I mean it with every single bloody bone in my body." I stated firmly, her eyes glazing over as they landed back onto me. She swallowed, wincing as she did so. "But, I don't want you to regret saying them further down the line." She tried feebly, her face twisting.

I grinned widely. "Who said I was going to regret them? You're my soulmate, Ellie, the one girl I want for the rest of my life. I couldn't care what happened, I would always love you, and I would never regret those words. I want to marry you one day Ellie, have a family of our own and grow old together. I would never, ever regret telling the girl I love that I love her," I reassured.

Ellie blinked back the tears that were threatening to spill, and I wiped a few that managed to leak through her barriers, a sheeny streak all that was left underneath her eyes. "You love me?" She whispered and I nodded with a grin. "I love you, Eleanora Rivers, and that will never change."

Her lips stretched into a smile, although tearful. "I l-love you too Jake," she whispered after a moment, and I grinned widely, knowing damn fine well that she meant it, and that the last of the remaining, if not singular barriers between us had been well and truly goddamn broken.


	25. Chapter 25

Three weeks later, and we were home, a much longed for sight that now had a totally different meaning, because Dad ha managed to secure a well paying job in Port Angeles, meaning he would always be home to take care of me with Grams like it had been once upon a time before I became seriously ill. He had never been so happy in his life, and I had seen the glimmer of tears in his dark yet warm brown eyes as they watched me walk up to our home, a sterile mask over my mouth and nose, movements still unsteady with Jake helping me up the porch steps.

Grams and Dad had came home yesterday to make sure that it was absolutely, positively and thoroughly cleaned. Jake and I had stayed in Seattle, the boy who'd managed to worm his way into my heart staying by my side, myself cuddled carefully into him for his abnormal body heat as we watched the icy rain from the latest storm splatter against the glass window before Nurse Jean declared it was time for me to get some rest and he had to move his backside over to the cot bed beside me that they'd brought in to allow him to remain there with me.

I smiled behind my mask as I laid eyes on some of the pack and their significant others, most of them imprints, well, Paul being the only one who had brought someone who certainly wasn't his imprint, according to Jake. I recognised her from the charity event last year, her eyes travelling over me with disdain, like she couldn't bear to be here. Well, if she was going to have an attitude like that, I didn't want her here either.

Anna was the first to gently embrace me, Jake finally releasing me so I could accept a hug from both Anna, and Carrie, my oldest and closest friend pulling me into a tight yet still equally as careful embrace, pressing a kiss into my short tumble of black curls. I let out a soft breath. "I missed you Rie," I whispered, and I heard her let out a soft sob. "You're going to be alright, not one more death scare of scenario! You can go to college and get married and have a family of your own, and all because of this dude." She wept, accepting a one armed hug from my wolf.

Grams came in with my bag, Dad following behind with the shopping bags. "What would you say to some grilled food if I cook it on the porch?" Dad asked and I grinned widely. "Chicken steaks with Montgomery cheese inside?" I clarified and he grinned, nodding, Jake laughing when I let out a muffled cheer behind my mask.

 **(W*W)**

I pushed my plate away from me, Jake placing it on my bedside table as we laid up in bed, watching Bridge to Terabithia with his arm around me. I had my mask off, the dreaded yet lifesaving thing laid neatly on my sterile cleaned cabinet. Jake smoothed his hand over my hair, and I looked up at him. "You know when you said you wanted to marry me one day, to have a family of our own, to grow old together, what if having a child of our own proves too risky for my health?" I questioned softly.

Jake lay back until we were laying face to face on our sides, his hand stroking over my bare skin that was visible through the short sleeves of my pyjama shirt. "Then we find a way around it," he murmured, a small grin on his face. "I'm thinking, for your eighteenth, we go out of town and celebrate." He suggested.

A small smile came to my face. "Like where would we go?" I asked and he grinned. "Dad owns a small cabin an hour from here, just on the outskirts of the Olympic National Park, about half an hour from Forks. What would you say to spending a week for your birthday there?"

That smile on my face widened and I nodded, unable to contain my excitement. "Absolutely! What would Grams and Dad say though?" I asked and he grinned widely. "Would it be bad if I already asked them?" He joked and I grinned wider, laughing softly as he captured my mouth in a gentle kiss, not wanting to get my heart going any faster than it already did. He pulled away after a moment. "I'm going to look forward to when I can kiss you again and not have to worry about your heart." He murmured.

I smiled softly, pressing another kiss to his lips before I tucked my head under his with a soft sigh. "Me too Jake, me too."


	26. Chapter 26

Hi everyone, I've created a sister fanfiction that goes along with Maheegan.

It is a Paul Lahote x OC and does contain mature themes, moderate bad language and scarce violence in certain chapters.

You've been warned.

 **Heaven Backwards**

Can be found on my profile from now.


	27. Chapter 27

Christmas. In a year I never thought I would make it too. Grams had long since gone to sleep, Dad conked out hours ago, leaving just Jake and I to talk. He was allowed to stay the night, providing he stayed on the couch and didn't come into my bedroom. As they said, no funny business would go on under their roof, and I was down with that one hundred percent. I wasn't that type of girl anyways. I knew Jake and I would be together until the day we died, but I was the type of girl that believed in commitment over everything else, and until I had a ring on my finger, I wasn't going down that road.

Jake had his arm around me, his fingers playing with the wispy ends of my still growing hair that was just down to my chin now, the very edges grazing my skin. He was staring at the dancing flames in the fireplace, thinking hard about something. I watched him out of the corner of my eye, a small smile on my face as I did so.

He was silent for a few more minutes, then snapped himself out of his daze, looking at me and catching me staring at him, a grin spreading across his face. "What you looking at?" He joked and I smiled warmly, turning my face completely towards him. "Someone deep in thought," I murmured softly, resting my chin on his shoulder as I turned towards him. "Whatcha thinking about?"

His eyes searched my face for a moment before he answered me. "I have a few questions." He answered and I shrugged. "Ask away." I replied.

Jake turned to face me too. "I need you to answer honestly, alright. If I were to ask you to marry me, right here, right now, what would your answer be?" He asked, a slight sliver of worry dancing in his dark brown eyes, the fire making the dark orbs glow in the darkened room.

I didn't even need to think about that one little bit. "I would say yes, because I love you. You helped me to live, Jake, you gave me a second chance at life, you made me rethink my future. Why wouldn't I say yes? I love you." I answered and he gave a soft sigh with a grin. My brows then furrowed. "Oh my God, that wasn't your proposal was it?" I asked, mortified.

He gave a laugh. "No, absolutely not. If I'm going to ask you to marry me, then I'm doing the whole get down on the knee thing with a ring and everything." He joked and I cracked a smile at that. "I would expect nothing less from my spirit warrior chief," I joked back and his grin widened, leaning forward to capture my lips in his own. I responded hungrily just as much as he did, his fingers coming to rest in my short hair as mine did to his, our mouths moving against one another. He traced his fingers over the rose tattoo behind my ear. "I still haven't seen that last tattoo, remember?" He whispered.

I grinned against his mouth. "You promise it won't go any further if I show it to you?" I asked and he nodded, sitting back while I unbuttoned my pyjama shirt, the warm cotton something I got as always on Christmas Eve. I unbuttoned it all the way, but left it still on my shoulders and my arms through it. Without removing the sports bra I'd had to resort to wearing for comfort, I gently lifted the bottom of it up, holding my arm over the exposed flesh of my breasts to protect my modesty.

Jake raised a brow with a grin. "Fancy," he commented with a glint in his eyes. I gave a slight grin myself. "Yep. Favourite tattoo I have," I answered and his grin widened. "Think it'll be a favourite of mine too soon," he replied as I began to button my shirt back up, my own eyebrows raised. "Really? And what makes you think you'll be getting into my pants so soon?" I teased as I finished buttoning the shirt back up.

His grin was infectious. "Just a feeling I have that in the next year we'll be something other than boyfriend and girlfriend," he shrugged. "Call me psychic. As I told you, I want to marry you one day, Ellie, and I'm starting to think that 2008 will be a damn good year for us both. No major operations, no more death scares, just you and me and forever."

I smiled widely, eyes bright as I nestled myself into his embrace once more, wondering just how on earth I had become this goddamn lucky.


	28. Chapter 28

_~Jacob's point of view~_

Eighteenth birthday party? Check. Guest list planned and sorted? Check. Bella wouldn't be invited. She and her leech family could remain well enough away from the reservation. A single whiff of their stench would send the pack into high alert, Sam had guaranteed that. Mom's wedding ring set? An absolute check. That ring had been burning a hole in my bedside drawer for over a week after Dad had given it to me, and after I had received a more than enthusiastic promise of permission from both Ellie's Dad and Grams.

Was it uncommon to get engaged at seventeen as opposed to an other age, an older age? Yes. Well, I would be eighteen, considering I was planning it on my eighteenth birthday of all days, but she would be seventeen. That had been one of a few conditions from both her Grams and her Dad. I had to wait until she was eighteen to marry her, which would be on or after the 30th of July, and I would have to wait at least a year for her body to completely heal before any thoughts of children came about. That didn't bother me, any of them, one little bit. I wouldn't be planning on children so young anyways. Hell, we hadn't even done the deed yet, so that would be virtually impossible for such a thing to happen.

The squeak of Dad's wheels told me he was approaching before I saw him, the older man pulling up onto the porch beside me. He gave my knee a pat. "You got nothing to worry about Jake. You know she'll say yes anyways." He hinted at the question I had asked just two weeks ago on Christmas.

I nodded, staring across the yard to the treeline, knowing I had patrol in just ten minutes. "I know. I was just wondering what Mom would think if she were still here, what she would think of Ellie, of the better person I'd became since I met her." I answered honestly, seeing pain well up in his own dark eyes before he pushed it down. "You know she's watching." He answered thickly, patting my knee again. "She would be proud of you. You know she'd love Ellie. Your mother knew about the legends as well as I did, that there would be a possibility that you might become part of them. She would be happy you found your soulmate, you know that."

My throat constricted as I nodded. "I know. But further down the line, if Ellie and I have kids in a few years time when she's better, I can't help but think they'll have been robbed the chance to know Mom. Hell, Ellie doesn't even have her mother because she's a waste of oxygen. Her Grams did most of the mothering while her Dad worked his ass off for sixteen years to support them, hardly seeing his own daughter as a result of that." I pointed out.

He nodded after a moment. "Then the girl is lucky to have us all: our family, what is left of her family, the pack and their families. We protect our own, Jacob, just like your mother and I protected you and your sisters, just like I did after her death. Its what family does as a whole."


	29. Chapter 29

Snow had settled down around the reservation, creating a nice clean white blanket that crunched beneath my boots as I walked into Emily's house with Jake, hands intertwined, gloves adorning my warm fingers. Jake grinned as we walked in, a few balloons attached to the door for his eighteenth that Emily had insisted she throw for him like she'd done for other pack members and had vowed she would do for the ones when they had a birthday as monumental as an eighteenth one.

He gave my shrouded fingers a gentle squeeze as we walked inside, Grams and Dad already here, chatting to Emily as though they were old friends, Grams and she exchanging recipes from the sound of things. I withheld my smile at that as Jake helped me out of the thick puffy coat he insisted I wear in order to keep me warm. I hated wearing my face mask, but if it would prevent infection amongst over things, then I would suck it up, grin and bare it.

Anna and Embry were sat on the couch, chatting quietly amongst themselves with Paul and Jared, the formers girlfriend, Lauren, nowhere in sight, thankfully. I didn't like her one little bit, although it might've been the dirty looks I got every time I let out a horrible cough and a pained sound when it hurt horribly, almost as though I offended her by simply being there.

The person who gave me a part of her body gave me a beaming smile as she saw us enter the warm house, peeling herself off of Embry to come over and give me a tight yet equally as careful hug. I returned it, smiling behind my mask. "Nice to see you too Anna," I greeted warmly, returning her hug with a sigh while Jake came back, his hand on my lower back, rubbing gentle circles as I pulled away from Anna. She gave him a hug too. "Happy birthday," she greeted, a wide smile on her face, although it held something else, something I couldn't quite put my finger on.

He went over to my Dad and Grams while I followed Anna, taking a seat next to her and the guys, each of them giving me a one armed hug, the other one holding a gigantic plate of food, something I'd grown used to seeing, because hell, Jake couldn't half put food away when he wanted to.

Conversation flowed; We talked about school, something I was eager to return to, but had settled for taking the tests privately just so I could get my high school diploma, but in a deal with the school board, I would still get to walk in Graduation in the upcoming May, exactly two years since I started dating Jake. All my life consisted of was studying, Jake and hospital visits for regular check-ups to make sure everything was going as it should be.

Jake joined us after a few moments, his large warm hand keeping mine warm. Although he couldn't see my smile, he knew it was there, and he pressed a kiss to my cheek. He seemed to be waiting for something, and yet, after an hour, he still seemed to be waiting for something, and then he deemed the time was right, and to my absolute shock, rendering me completely and utterly gobsmacked, he slid onto the floor, on the whole one knee thing, a green velvet box in his hands.

I could see Dad and Grams watching from beside Emily in the kitchen, smiles on their faces as they watched Jake open that green velvet box, revealing a beautiful antique ring set that I loved already. He gave a grin. "I've been waiting to do this for almost two years." He began, a wide ass grin on his face. "We've been through absolute hell to get here today, and to be honest, I didn't even think I'd get the chance to do this, but I have that chance. I love you more than anything, Ellie, and it would be the best birthday present in the world if you would agree to be mine forever. Marry me?"

Tears leaked from my eyes before I could wipe them away, and I nodded with a wide smile, even though he couldn't see it behind my mask, but he knew it was there, as he always did, and pulled me forwards into his arms, cheers sounding around us as he hugged me tight enough to convey his joy but not too much to hurt me. He pressed his mouth to the area beside my ear, his breath hot on my face. "I love you," he murmured, tears still leaking from my eyes as I buried my face into his neck, knowing I would have a lot more to do than revise for tests, spend time with Jake and have those hospital visits, and now, I could plan a wedding too. "I love you too, " I whispered, feeling him kiss me gently.


	30. Chapter 30

Sitting with the rest of the pack, swaddled in Jakes arms in order to keep me warm, was the best way to spend a Saturday morning, even if it was at the beginning of February and it was otherwise freezing cold, my very own shapeshifter being the only thing keeping me warm.

My engagement ring glinted in the pale morning light, the sight making me smile behind my mask. I had another month and a half of wearing this just to make sure, what with my anaemia amongst other things. I stared at the antique ring that I'd learned had belonged to his mother, my heart swelling with emotion when I realised the meaning behind giving me that specific ring. _It meant I was special enough to him after all._

Jake was laughing and joking on with Quil and Embry, little Claire sat beside him, wrapped up in a puffy coat with a bucket and spade beside her, Anna helping her to build the biggest sandcastle ever seen apparently, complete with a moat and everything. I watched them with a small smile, wondering if I'd be doing that with children of my own in a few years time.

I looked at Jake, the man who'd caught me by absolute surprise just two weeks ago. I had a biopsy yesterday, the pain in my chest dulled due to painkillers. He'd been waiting for me when I came out, had taken me home, Grams and Dad giving him permission to spend the night, but only on the couch, something that was more than fine by him.

Jake gave my hand a squeeze, puling me from my dazed thinking session. "Anna asked what date we're planning the wedding for." He murmured with a grin, my own smile widening hugely as I thought of the day that would become all the more special each year. I looked at Anna. "30th of July," I stated proudly and she grinned. "Pretty good birthday present. Have you thought about where you guys want to go on your honeymoon?" She replied.

I looked at Jake and he sighed. "We can't go far, not in case something happens with her heart or anything else. Dad suggested the cabin that's an hour from Forks, not too far from Port Angeles. Only problem is the leeches. Word already reached them that we're getting married, and well, you know how someone reacted to that news." He didn't bother to hide his bitterness in his words. I sighed too, rubbing a hand over his. "She can throw her toys out of the toy box all she wants Jake," I soothed. "She's a married woman herself, with a mystical miracle kid, and she chose death over life. She can go sling her hook as far as she can throw it."

He nodded. "I know. Doc said we can go through Forks as often as we want anyways because of how we lent our assistance in the battle with those royal leeches; they just can't come onto the reservation without notifying us first." He stated and I nodded. "We'll just go to the cabin for a week or two, and that way, should an absolute emergency come up with either the pack or with my health, we're in range of both Forks Hospital and the one in Port Angeles." I suggested.

Jake gave my hand another squeeze. "Sounds good to me. We were thinking small anyways, just the pack and our families plus one or two friends. We're not going any bigger than that. And it'll be low key in Dad's backyard. We both don't want anything fancy, just family and a few friends. No one from Forks apart from Charlie, and just those we're close to." He explained.

I nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, I didn't even think I'd get to this point to be honest." I confessed, and he looked down at me. "I don't want anything fancy. We can do fancy in say ten years, when we have a family and when we're more financially stable, but we just want something quiet and family oriented." I added.

Claire gave me a beaming smile. "Can I wear a pretty dress?" She asked, pressing her hands together in a prayer like motion. I gave a soft laugh, smoothing back the raven black hair of the precious four year old. "Of course you can Clairebear." I replied and she gave a squeal, launching herself into Quil's arms, everyone bursting out with laughter as he fell back, groaning dramatically as she fell beside him and laughed.


	31. Chapter 31

I stared at the beautiful, simple yet elegant dress that was hanging on the rack, my mind already made up. Grams gave me a warm smile. "I bought it for your mother, before all this happened, before everything she was doing came out. Now, I think it could be used for something even better, like marriage to your very own spirit warrior." She stated, her hands on my shoulders as she stood behind me.

Yeah, that was something I wasn't expecting both her and Dad to take so well when they were invited to the bonfire last week, Jake coming out and feeling comfortable enough to tell them that the legends were true, and that he and the rest of the pack were living embodiments of that.

I smiled at her in the mirror, my mask off for once in a while. I nodded. "Yeah, I love it." I whispered and she smiled wider. "Good. It just needs adjusting to your size, something I can do on my own. Did Jake tell you he's taking you to the cabin tonight so you can see if you want to go there in three months time?" She stated.

My brows furrowed and she laughed at my facial expression. "I would assume that he didn't then. Yeah, you'll be going for two days, explore the area, that sort of thing, see if you can survive two weeks there." She gave a soft laugh once more before she gave me a look. "Do we need to have the talk?"

Horror flooded me before I could stop it, and I whirled around abruptly. "Uh, Grams, absolutely not!" I exclaimed, a teasing expression on her face. "I might be engaged, and have been with him for almost two years, but I'm not that kind of girl. I believe in waiting until I'm married, so no, nothing will be happening other than sleep, and Jake knows that. He knows that's my wishes, and he's more than happy to respect that."

She hummed. "Well, I better not get any great grandchildren for at least two years until you've been given the absolute all clear, go ahead, whatever they call it. You know that, and I would hope you heed that. Now, all awkward talks aside, how is the planning for him opening up his own car shop coming along?" She asked,

Pride bubbled through me as I beamed widely, all awkwardness aside. "Its coming really well. They're expanding the garage space outside of Billy's so they can get it up and running. There's already been some interest from both Forks and La Push residents."

Grams nodded. "Well, just remember, if there is funny business tonight, it better not end in me becoming a great grandmother anytime soon."

"Grams!"

 **(W*W)**

Jake was waiting outside the house just after dinner, a grin on his face as he leant against the sleek black truck. I gave him an accusing look. "And when were you going to tell me we were going somewhere," I asked as I tossed my bag into the bed of the truck beside what looked like his own bag.

He gave a grin that was wider than his previous one. "Now?" He gave a laugh when I tried to give him my most unimpressed look, but ended up failing miserably because I couldn't keep my own grin off of my face. He pulled me into his arms, pushing my mask down so he could press his mouth against mine. I responded eagerly, gripping his arms tightly while our mouths moved together, his thumb brushing against my cheek. He grinned as he pulled back. "I think that was a better hello," he murmured.

I rolled my eyes, accepting his hand to climb into the truck when he opened the door. He gave a grin as he climbed in beside me. "A weekend of chilling and planning considering exams are done. No hospital appointments for a week, so we can spend as much time together as we want uninterrupted. Sam gave me the weekend off, Paul and Seth are covering my shifts. We're free." He stated.

My jaw ached because I was smiling so much. We laughed and joked about small things, about how what the town gossip mill over in Forks would go into overdrive because we were both getting married at eighteen. No doubt rumours of me being knocked up and how we were only getting married for that would start being whispered, so wouldn't they be surprised next year when I had no baby to show for such rumours.

It was dark out when we finally got to the cabin, the small home nestled amongst some trees up a small driveway. He grinned as he shut off the engine, a small smile on my face as I saw his excitement at being back somewhere I knew he'd frequented on many an occasion. He looked at me with that wide as hell grin. "C'mon then, I'll give you a tour." He uttered, quickly getting out of the truck while I withheld my laughter, climbing out after him and grabbing my bag from the bed of the car as he grabbed his. He snaked an arm around my waist as we walked up to the house, only releasing me to unlock the front door and usher me inside.

I gazed around the homely front room, photographs of Jake and his family strung up around the room on the walls and on various shelves. He gave my hand a quick squeeze before taking my bag along with his and heading to a room towards the back, flicking on switches as he went. I walked over to the wall, picking up a picture frame as I went along. He couldn't have been more than six in the picture, my brows raising as I saw Billy not in the wheelchair, this probably having been taken before he lost his legs due to his diabetes. There were two little girls in the photo too -Rachel and Rebecca, both looking identically similar but for the fact one had straight hair and the other had a wild mane of raven coloured ringlets that covered her grinning face.

There was another woman in the photo too though, her twinkling brown eyes just radiating warmth as they stared up at me from the memory captured in time. She was beautiful, her russet coloured skin glowing in the light from the sun above them. I smiled slightly, tracing my fingers over the edge of the frame before I put it back on the shelf, whirling around and getting the fright of my life when I saw Jake leant against the doorframe watching me.

He gave a slight grin. "Taken when I was seven on my birthday. Wish I'd of known that would be one of the few birthdays I would spend with her though," he murmured the last sentence, and I smiled sadly, gently slipping myself into his waiting arms, his over six and a half feet in height towering over my barely five and a half foot tall frame. "She would've been proud of the man you've become," I soothed, my head nestled on his warm, hard chest. He nodded above me, rubbing his hand down my back with a sigh. "C'mon, lets give you that tour then."

He showed me the kitchen, something I was definitely going to explore in the next couple of days and when we came here in three months time. I could see a few etchings on doorframes as we walked past them, their names scrawled next to them. I grinned widely as we came to the bathroom and saw the huge soaking tub in there. I glanced at him. "Totally going to make use of that," I joked and he laughed, shaking his head. "I haven't been here for years. Rachel came here a few times to get away and gather her thoughts. She paid for the soaking tub out of her college fund, said that it would be a crime not to have one, so you can thank her when you see her tomorrow."

My eyes bulged out of my head. "I'm meeting your sister tomorrow? Anything else you want to tell me?" I asked and he gave a grin. "Nothing yet. Rach is pretty laidback. She's been wanting to meet you for ages, just hasn't had a chance to do yet, what with health issues and stuff." He pointed out.

I nodded, my head whirling as we headed to the last room in the small cabin, his hand on my back as he steered me towards the room. I smiled slightly as I entered it, loving the wide windows that covered almost all of the back wall, and the blinds that would ensure no wild animals got an eyeful in a few months time. I trailed my fingers over the multicoloured blanket that rested atop the bedding. I glanced back at Jake. "Kind of strange to be sleeping in the same place we'll first sleep as when we're married." I commented quietly as I took a seat on the soft bed.

He nodded, taking a seat beside me, threading our fingers together gently. "I guess it is. It gets a little cold at night, but considering I am a supernatural space heater, it shouldn't be a problem." He commented with a small chuckle, a smile coming to my face. "Yeah, I don't think it'll be a problem, do you? You do realise this is the first time we'll have actually slept together in a bed, without doing the deed, not that we have considering you weren't allowed to sleep in my room in Phoenix or at home." I pointed out to him.

Jake gave a grin. "I know. So, what are your rules then?" He teased and I laughed sweetly. "The only rules I have are that no actual deed gets done," I replied back with another laugh and he laughed too, gently pushing me back and settling himself over the top of me, pressing his mouth tenderly to mine. He moved so gently, his thumb stroking my cheek while he used his other arm to keep his weight off of me.

He kept his mouth pressed against mine for another moment before pulling back, my lashes brushing his cheeks as he kept his face over mine with a slight grin. "So I can do stuff like this without crossing a line?" He murmured and I nodded with a shy smile, pulling his mouth back down to mine gently as I let out a soft sigh, weaving my fingers into his short black hair.

 **(W*W)**

Changed into my pyjama's an hour later, I crawled into side of the bed that was against the wall, Jake climbing in afterwards, immediately pulling me back to his chest with the utmost gentleness, pressing a kiss to the crook of my neck as I snuggled back into him, his warmth taking away the chilly coldness that I had felt not even a minute ago.

I hummed, closing my eyes as I nestled my head into the pillows, Jake curled around me to ensure no part of me went cold during the night. He pressed another kiss, this time to my temple, stroking his fingers through my hair as my breathing began to even out, as I feel softly asleep.


	32. Chapter 32

A warm arm anchoring me to a warm chiselled chest was an unfamiliar experience, but one I would gladly get used to, if it wasn't for the problem of what I didn't want to do before marriage, and what his, um, _anatomy_ , wanted the apparent complete opposite. I was amused, and mortified, all at the same time, Jake not cottoning on for another hour before he woke up, his body curved into mine.

I managed to roll over, thankful that he wasn't pressing against me and making it awkward that he was so turned on and we wouldn't be together like that for another three months. I snuggled up to him, my arms chilled from the coldness of the room. He was right, it did get freezing. I smiled warmly at him though, eagerly returning the sleepy kiss he gave me. He pressed one to the corner of my mouth afterwards, his thumb stroking my thumb as he slightly moved backwards.

Jake gave a sleepy grin as he rubbed his thumb lightly over my lip. "Morning," he murmured, a small smile spreading across my face as I leant into his touch. "Morning back," I whispered back and his grin widened. "Now, I think we should get dressed, and go grab some breakfast in a little diner in Port Angeles somewhere, do some window shopping, and meet my sister for two. How's that sound?" He suggested.

I nodded with a grin. "I'm down for that," I laughed sweetly, his grin widening at the once non-existent sound. "Well so am I. Now, lets get dressed, and maybe, just maybe, we can make it to Port Angeles for eleven, huh?" He challenged and my smile widened. "Challenge accepted."

 **(W*W)**

Rachel was stunningly beautiful; straight raven coloured hair flowed over her shoulders, warm brown eyes to match her kind face. She embraced me like I was a long lost sister, finally found at last. She gave me a warm smile. "Nice to finally meet the girl who changed Jake, and who'll be another sister to add to our family," she greeted warmly, giving me another quick squeeze before she sat down across from Jake and I, the tall shapeshifter grinning, finally put at ease that his sister liked me.

She gave me a bright smile. "So, have you thought about what you want to do in the long run? I know Jake is thinking about opening his own garage, but what about you? Any plans for anything?" She asked and I smiled slightly. "I don't know yet. I mean, I haven't exactly thought about education for the past couple of years. I didn't even think I'd get to here, to be able to get married and celebrate my eighteenth birthday at the same time." I answered and she nodded, serious. "Absolutely. You any good at math?" She asked.

I nodded with a wide smile. "Oh yeah, I love maths." I answered and her answer was a wide smile. "Have you ever thought about accounting, or bookkeeping? If you're good at math, that might be something to look into. It would allow you to work from home too should something happen." She pointed out.

Jake glanced at me, nodding thoughtfully. "Nice idea Rach," he commented and she gave a slight grin, a shrug coming to her shoulders. "I have lots of good ideas, thank you very much. Also, I'll come down a few days before the wedding, see if I can get used to the area. Someone has to help Dad while you two are off enjoying yourselves," she commented, her smile turning sadder. I gave a small smile. "I'm sure he'll love that," I stated quietly and she nodded, her eyes landing on my hand. She smiled again, sad once more. "Mom's engagement ring," she murmured, chewing on her bottom lip to stop the tremble I saw bursting to be unleashed. "Mind if I look?"

I shook my head and extended my hand across the table so she could look. The tremble came free, Jake looking a little uncomfortable beside me. She smiled slightly. "Mom would have wanted Jake to have it anyways, to give to the girl he thought to be his soulmate. I noticed how he described you, and he didn't disappoint. You're a lovely girl, Eleanora, and I look forward to you becoming both Becca and I's sister," she praised, my cheeks flushing out of embarrassment, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see Jake exhale with relief as if I'd passed a test.

 **(W*W)**

Jake was ridged as we pulled back up to the cabin later that night, and I could see why as soon as we pulled up, two amber eyes staring at us as we pulled up from under a mop of long mousy brown hair. I swallowed the anger I could feel bubbling up as I watched Bella Swan, or rather Bella Cullen, stand from where she'd been sitting on the porch, her eyes quite literally venomous as they skewered me where I sat in the cabin of the truck.

He gave something akin to a snarl under his breath before he got out, his entire body shaking with anger. She beamed at him, as though she were unable to quite literally see the stream billowing from his ears. He was foaming at the mouth as he yelled at her to leave. I climbed out of the truck as soon as she made to put her hands on him. Uh no. No way. She screeched as I approached. "You know I'm so much better than her, Jake!" She cried out, glaring venomous daggers towards me. "What does she have that I don't?"

I scoffed. "You're married, have a kid with your husband, and you're still whining after him like some little prissy schoolgirl? Take a hike Bella." I retorted, starting to lose my cool. "He doesn't want you, he never has, so go away. You're ruining our weekend," I clipped and she gave a snarl under her breath, taking a step forward towards me before Jake let out a vicious, terrifying snarl. "Touch her and I will kill you, treaty or not."

There was a slight whooshing sound, the leeches husband appearing and placing a firm hand on her arm. He didn't look pleased, his golden eyes looking over us both before he looked at his wife. "No one is dying. Bella, you know you can't be here, come on, lets go home. We will honour our side of the treaty, Jacob, I promise."

Jake wasn't buying it, still shielding me behind him protectively. He gave me a nod before he secured Bella in his arms, a whooshing noise happening before they were gone, and I let out a shuddering gasp, emotions beginning to run rampant through my body as I headed back towards the cabin, feeling the tears begin to bubble up at the fact that I still couldn't be happy without someone intent on ruining what little happiness I've had in my life.

I'd made it just to the front room when a hot hand closed around my wrist, closing the front door behind him as he pulled me into his arms, tears just starting to pool in my eyes, something he wiped away before they could fall. "C'mon, don't let her win by ruining today," he soothed and I nodded, albeit rather jerkily as I buried my head into his chest. He rubbed his hand down my back. "Just don't let her win," he murmured.


	33. Chapter 33

_~Jacob's point of view~_

Sam rubbed his jaw as I finished telling him about the shit that Bella pulled, once again, over the weekend, what with the harassing phone calls to Dad that resulted in my having to change the house phone number and notify all people who he wanted to have the number, including Charlie who'd been told specifically not to give the new number to Bella, or even tell her that he had it either.

He looked down the beach to where Ellie stood with Emily, both of them stood cooking on the grill, Em as swollen as ever, her rounding stomach extremely noticeable. She wasn't the only one carrying the future generation of the pack; I could see Valerie and Calvin sat curled up into each other a bit further down the beach, his hand rubbing over the small mound that had popped up last week, their son growing nicely.

He looked back at me. "We can't lose it now, Jacob. The Cullens will be warned to keep their distance next month, and I was talking with Billy earlier today. We both would feel better if you remained on tribal lands for your honeymoon." He stated, my mouth hardening as I became annoyed. Damn Sam and Dad.

I sighed and he held a hand up to let him continue. "Spend the first night at the cabin that the Clearwater's own. Sue suggested it. Spend the night there and then go to the cabin." He stated and I shook my head. "No, Sam, thanks but no. I won't change my own wedding because she threw a tantrum. Ellie doesn't want to either; we already had this talk a few days ago. We have four weeks to go until we get married and we aren't changing a thing because of a leech."

Sam wasn't pleased but he nodded. "And if you want to stick by that, then I won't push. I have my own problems to worry about anyways. Doctor said they were concerned about Em's blood pressure, that she needs to take it easy, and whenever I tell that girl to calm it for two moments, she does exactly the opposite."

A grin spread across my face as I watched said imprint laughing with mine, both of their faces flushed with the heat from the grill. I nodded. "I got the whole lecture from her Grams and Dad yesterday, and even though I've been expecting it, it was uncomfortable." I confessed, rubbing the back of my neck and he coughed out a laugh. "You mean _the talk_? I've had it all before with Em's parents. What did they tell you?"

I sighed, shoving my hands into the pockets of my sleeveless hoodie. "That we can't have a family of our own for a few years, something I already knew but something that still hurts to hear. I mean, I know why, I really do, and I would choose her health anytime, but it still stings to hear it. I can't relive the last two years again because I couldn't put something on the end of it and wait for a few years." I shrugged and he nodded.

Sam gave a sigh of his own. "We both know that protection doesn't always work with us wolves," he murmured, looking over to Valerie and Calvin. "Cal told me one condom broke, one, in all their three years together, and that one time it breaks, she gets pregnant. Take Em and I too; we were religious about that sort of thing until things calmed down around here, and we stopped and did the deed once without protection before she got the flu and we stopped for two weeks. One time, and she got pregnant too. Get the drift?" He stated with a hard look.

I nodded, getting the message loud and clear. "I don't want kids for a while if it means putting Ellie at risk. We're only eighteen, plenty of time for that. I just don't want to go through the last two years again." I stated and he nodded solemnly. "And if I were you, I wouldn't either."


	34. Chapter 34

**Here we go guys, the moment I've been building towards. This will be an extra long chapter, if all goes according to plan, and it will contain mentions of mature themes, but unless anyone asks otherwise, I won't be putting explicit stuff in this fiction -that's for sister fictions linked to this one. With that said, sit back and enjoy the show guys, this ones for you!**

* * *

I stared at the dress that was hanging in the garment bag on my wardrobe door, my fingers questing over the soft, satiny fabric. Tonight would be the last time I would sleep in this bed as an unmarried woman. It was strange to think that, and tomorrow I would turn eighteen too. I smiled softly as I looked back at my bed, something I would sleep in tonight, and then wouldn't sleep in alone. Jake and I still didn't have our own place yet.

The car shop that Jake had opened just two weeks ago was thriving. Well, thriving was an understatement. It just took off overnight, the shop overrun with customers wanting work done to their cars, wanting their cars fixed, most of them just minor things, but things that could be fixed in an hour and things that made them a substantial amount of money in just two weeks, enough to pay all of the guys wages for that month in advance. Embry, Quil, Paul and Seth were working there at the moment, Paul more part time considering he also worked with his Dad.

My fingers found the zipper of the garment bag, and I zipped it up, taking care not to catch the shimmery fabric in the zip. I smiled slightly, patting the bag before I took a seat at the desk, I glanced around my room with a sad smile. It was strange, a weird sense of something falling into place, of everything falling into place like an elusive jigsaw that had almost been completed.

I chewed on my bottom lip; A dull thud sounded against my window, well, the wooden bit beneath it, and I frowned before a wide smile spread across my face, and I rushed to the window, a silly smile coming over my face as I stared down at the shirtless man beneath my window. "You know, I've never been married before, but I'm pretty sure that we aren't meant to see each other beforehand." I pointed out.

A gleaming white grin was what I got in response as Jake took a step back, bracing himself as he gestured for me to back up. I did so with an eye roll and a wide smile, a dull thud echoing as he slipped inside my room after vaulting up the side of the house. He pulled me forwards into his warm embrace, pressing a passionate kiss to my lips as I laughed quietly. "Hey," I whispered and he grinned, pressing a kiss to the corner of my mouth with that grin I loved so much. "Hey back," he murmured, his eyes shifting to the cream garment bag. "Strange that we'll be married this time tomorrow, and on our way to the cabin," he murmured.

A small smile came across my face as I wrapped my arms around him from behind, resting my cheek against his back. "I know. Did you buy the stuff?" I murmured back, my eyes sliding shut as I tried not to let my cheeks darken at the thought of 'stuff'. That stuff would be coming in handy tomorrow night in more ways than one. I wasn't about to put myself back in the hospital because we couldn't wait for a family.

He chuckled throatily, turning around and grinning down at me. "Yes, I bought them. You can't be embarrassed considering you know exactly what we'll be using those condoms for tomorrow. You're totally going red, Ellie." He joked, giving my cheek a light tap as heat pooled on my cheeks.

"Yes I'm embarrassed," I exclaimed with a half laugh. "You trying to tell me that before we got together you didn't experiment a little with the girls in school?" I teased back and he laughed too, falling back onto my bed with me locked in his arms. I twisted in his arms so I was on my side and he was still on his back, my head propped up on my hand. Jake snickered, looking at me. "Yeah, I did, even went all the way, but tomorrow is different." He admitted.

Jake twisted so he too was looking at me as he laid on his side. "Tomorrow is different because you're my imprint, Ellie, my soulmate, my other half for the rest of our lives. Tomorrow will be different because I love you, because you love me. We'll be married, Ellie. We'll soon have our own little place and our own little business, and maybe our own little family in a few years." He murmured.

I smiled slightly, tucking my head under his as I snuggled into him. "Maybe, maybe. Business is already going well, maybe our own home and our own family somewhere down the road." I whispered and he hummed with a smile above me. "Business is going well, and maybe, just maybe, I might have something sorted out that you'll find out about after our two weeks away." He hinted.

My smile widened a little. "Then I'll look forward to the surprise." I whispered, tipping my head up a little to meet his mouth as it met mine.

 **(W*W)**

Grams smoothed concealer under my eyes while Carrie sat opposite me, her maid of honour dress hanging up behind her as she sat in her own silk robe, her hair already done up in a pretty mass of curly ringlets. She beamed a smile at me. "Now, do I give you your birthday present as a wedding gift?" She teased and I gave a soft laugh, shaking my head as Grams backed away so Carrie could hand me the blue parcel she had resting behind her.

I tore into it, two white boxes separating under the mountain of blue wrapping paper. She pointed to one box. "Now, that I certainly wouldn't open that, unless you wish to give your Grams a heart attack." She cheekily stated and Grams slapped her on the shoulder with the twisted up wrapping paper. "Carrie Joanne, tell me you didn't!" She demanded and my best friend grinned, fending off another whack as Grams shook her head. I think I could've guessed what was in that box, and I looked at Carrie with a barely concealed smile of my own. She merely gave a wink and motioned to the other box. "Now, I realised we didn't have anything blue, so I had it specifically made for you." She stated gently.

I lifted the box lid and stared at the lacy garter with the inscribed italic script that said _Mrs Black._ I smiled slightly, trailing my fingers over it as my smile grew. "Its beautiful," I whispered as I trailed my fingers over the blue letters that would soon be my name in just three hours at noon exactly.

Carrie smiled warmly, placing her manicured hand over mine, her thumb rubbing over my knuckles. "Its strange." She breathed. "You were so adamant you wouldn't be here two years ago, and yet, here you are, about to marry the guy who saved your life." She finished and I smiled just as Grams came back with the other makeup, just the minimal amount. I wasn't a huge fan of it, and I never would be, but as Grams had said, she wasn't able to do this for a daughter of her own, so the least she could do was do it for me and make me feel even more beautiful today.

I nodded with a small smile. "I know, its almost surreal. I never thought I'd get here, much less even reach my eighteenth, let alone get married on it. Is it weird that I don't feel nervous whatsoever? I don't know how to describe it. Its like I've been waiting my entire life to do this, which is strange, I know." I asked.

Grams shook her head. "No, it isn't strange. You're soulmates, Ellie. You are doing what's right. Had he been any other boy, you wouldn't have had our full support to get married at eighteen of all ages, but you do, because its Jake. Now, enough of the soppy talk, lets get this show on the road." She clapped her wrinkled, weathered hands together with a grin, picking up the make-up that I would never wear again.

 **(W*W)**

I couldn't believe it; I looked _amazing_. My dress was tight against me, modest and simple, everything I'd hoped, the satin sleeves covering up my tattoos, the tips of the decorative inked leaves just visible from the edges of the shimmery satin. Grams had, with Carrie, twisted my shoulder length black locks into a beautiful bun, the stands having been curled and twisted, a few loose tendrils framing my face. My sheer veil rested atop it, secured by the Rivers family heirloom, something that Grams and Dad had almost sold in order to cover my medical bills, until I begged them not to. My veil was beautiful; lace detail on the hem, that sheer fabric only covering my face and neck, settling on my shoulders. It was gorgeous, a sequinned detail resting across the crown of my head. My .

My bottom lip trembled a little as I stared at myself, tears shining in my eyes. Grams gave me a smile as she steered me to face her. "No tears," she whispered, pressing her rosy lips to my forehead. "You'll mess up all my hard work," she teased and I gave a short laugh, giving her a bright smile. "I know."

There was a short knock on the bedroom door before Dad poked his head around it, a wide smile on his face beneath his salt and pepper hair. He stepped into the room, gently enveloping me in his arms as he crossed the room. I inhaled his familiar, warm smell, the scent I'd often wished to bottle as a child so I didn't miss him, a scent that clung to the old shirt of his that I used as a blanket until I was eleven. He had been there, never given up on me, sacrificed the chance to watch me grow up in order to support me properly, and Grams, instead of being there to see me through everything, making his sacrifice the hardest of them all.

He pulled back, pressing a kiss to my temple. "You look beautiful, Nora," he murmured as he withdrew and I smiled shyly. "Look quite dapper yourself, Dad. Think I can get you to dress up like this more often?" I joked and he grinned widely. "Absolutely not," he answered with a laugh as Grams came back across the room, her lilac dress beautiful under her grey shawl, Carrie stood beside the door, letting us have our moment, her green dress a beautiful contrast with her raven black hair that flowed over her shoulders in deep ebony ringlets.

Dad gave me a gentle smile. "You know, I never thought we'd get to do this," he confessed, my wide smile softening a little as I tried to keep it together, my bottom lip giving a quiver. "I know, I didn't think so either. But, remember, as Grams said, no more soppy stuff. We have half an hour, and then I'll be married, so until then, lets keep the soppy stuff for later." I joked and he gave a chuckle, pulling my arm through his and pressing another kiss to my temple before he escorted me out of the room.

 **(W*W)**

 _~Jacob's point of view~_

Dad wheeled himself alongside me, a grin on his face. This would be the first and last time ever that I wore a suit. Ever. I wouldn't ever wear one again, not even if Ellie begged me too. Pastor Weber from the church in Forks stood talking to Sam and Emily, Em almost waddling now considering their baby was due any day from now. Valerie was starting to show properly in her abdomen too, the swelling mound visible through her pale blue dress, the colour matching her baby blue eyes that were hidden beneath a sweep of dark chocolate brown hair.

I gazed around the backyard of Calvin and Valerie's home, the place they strived to purchase with the large back garden so they could raise a large family, something they've started to make. I know from hearing his thoughts during our many patrols together, and from talking with him face to face, that he and Val both wanted a huge family that was virtually unheard of on the reservation.

It was strange, to be stood here, somewhat nervous for the first time in my life. I couldn't wait to see Ellie. She had been teasing me with little details of her dress and the other pieces that went with her overall outfit, but she hadn't told me anything definite, and right now, the suspense was killing me. Val slipped up beside me, her stomach even more noticeable. "Pretty girl is here," she murmured, and I gave an easy grin, everyone already having taken their seats anyways. We only had the pack, our families, and a few friends. I could see Rebecca talking with Rachel, both of them grinning for the first time in a long time since they'd left the reservation, a source of too many painful memories.

I couldn't keep the grin off of my face as I watched her take her own seat, Calvin giving me a grin as Valerie murmured something to him. I could hear murmuring quieting down as I stood with my back to where I downright knew she was walking up behind me considering everyone had stood up, with the exception of Dad. There was a quiet awed hush, making me even more anxious to know what she looked like as she came to a stop beside me, her Dad holding her arm tight.

She took my breath away, literally; Ellie looked like a vision in her simple yet stunning white dress, the almost full length sleeves concealing the most of her tattoo sleeves that I loved so much, something I couldn't wait to show her tonight. She gave me a warm smile under the sheer material of her veil, something I didn't know she was planning on wearing, but somehow, it just completed her look. I could see her tattoo behind her ear, the one I loved to trace when we just talked and laid next to each other, the same one I had traced during our time at the cabin.

Pastor Weber gave his opening sermon, telling anyone who objected to speak. I half expected Bella to come storming down the aisle, demanding that I not marry Ellie, like that would've happened, but no one said anything. I gave a grin as she gave a small smile, looking up at me shyly as he began to speak once more. "You look beautiful," I mouthed and her cheeks darkened a little, her smile widening as I lifted the sheer veil up over her head, her smile widening just that little more as I gave her a grin, joining our hands together as I began to speak.

"Eleanora, you are my best friend. I promise to laugh with you, cry with you, and grow with you. I will love you when we are together and when we are apart. I promise to support your dreams and to respect our differences, and to love you and be by your side through all the days and nights of our lives." I spoke, having recited them a thousand times over in my head as I counted down the seconds until this moment, this much longed for moment that I had wished we could just reach. All those trips down to Phoenix, all those trips to Seattle, all those times I saw her break down into tears and weep her heart out, they'll never happen again, not if I have anything to do with it anyways.

Ellie gave me a teary smile. "Jake, I choose you. To stand by your side and sleep in your arms. To learn with you and grow with you, even as time and life change us both. I promise to laugh with you in good times and struggle alongside you in bad times. I promise to respect you and cherish you as an individual, a partner, and an equal, knowing that we do not complete, but complement each other." She spoke and I grinned, Pastor Weber giving a smile of his own as he spoke.

"Do you, Jacob, promise to be a loving friend and partner in marriage, to talk and to listen, to trust and to appreciate, to respect and to cherish Eleanora's uniqueness? Do you promise to support, comfort, and strengthen her through life's joys and sorrows? Do you promise to share hopes and dreams as you build your lives together, and to grow with Eleanora in mind? Will you strive to build a home that is compassionate to all, full of respect and honour, filled with peace, happiness, and love? Do you promise to always be open and honest with Eleanora, and cherish her for as long as you both shall live?" He spoke, looking to me.

I nodded, a smile curving my mouth as I spoke. "I do."

He looked at Ellie next, her pretty blue eyes looking to him as she listened to him ask her the same, a gentle smile curling her pale pink coloured lips that would soon be one mine. She too nodded. "I do," she whispered, looking back at me, her eyes glazed over as Carrie came over, rings held in her hands. I hadn't asked for a best man because it would've meant choosing between either Quil or Embry, something I wasn't going to do, but I knew from the moment she said yes that Carrie would've held a special meaning to Ellie to the point where she would just have had to be involved, whether it be as a ring bearer or head bridesmaid, or in her case, _both_.

He spoke while I took Ellie's engagement ring off, keeping it in my hand while I slipped the engraved gold band onto her finger that was a part of the set, slipping her engagement ring, Mom's old ring, back over the top so it sat atop the golden band that now meant so much more than sentimental jewellery that once belonged to Mom. She gently took my golden band, a plain and simple band that I had chosen out with her, from Carrie, the ebony haired native girl giving us a wide smile as she went back and took her seat beside Ellie's Grams and Dad, both of who looked exceptionally teary eyed.

Ellie slid the ring up over my knuckle, both of us exhaling when that went off without a hitch. And then came the part we'd both been waiting for since I left her last night, eager with anticipation for this very moment right here. Pastor Weber gave us a bright smile. "And with these rings, I now declare you husband and wife."

I pulled her to me gently, clapping and laughter surrounding us as we pressed our lips to each others, my hand gently cradling her head, the satin of her veil soft against my calloused fingers. She gave a smile against my mouth, her eyes shut, and as we pulled away, that smile grew.

 **(W*W)**

 _~Eleanora's point of view~_

Dad clinked his fork against the wine glass as we all sat around the huge table outside, Jake rubbing his thumb gently over my knuckles. He gave my hand a squeeze as Dad stood up, holding his glass in his hand. I knew what was coming, and I steeled myself to not weep at what I knew would be included in his speech, about all those hospital visits and all those times he thought he would loose me.

And I was right.

Dad gave everyone a warm smile, still looking very dapper in his tux. "I'd just like to say a few words, and to thank Jake and his family for never giving up on my baby, my only child, a child I thought I had lost a long time ago." He looked at Jake, giving me a warm soothing smile, the same one he gave me before all the major operations that he made sure he was absolutely there for. "Thank you all. When you met Ellie, she was on the verge of giving up, of letting the cancer, the kidney failure, the heart problems, she was going to let them win. But you didn't let that happen. You raised her back up from the hole she'd sank herself into, unwilling to get out of it, and you have no idea how indebted to you I am, to everyone who participated in saving my only baby."

He turned to Anna, the russet skinned girl looking a little surprised as he focussed on her. "Anna, you didn't have to do that for my daughter, to give a part of yourself, an important part, away to save Nora. I knew to cure the cancer, we had to get the kidney failure solved first. When I got the call that someone had been found, and was absolutely more than willing to do that for my daughter, I knew, I just knew, that things would start looking up from there, and I was right. My baby wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you, and I am forever in your debt."

His warm brown eyes focused on me next, and I steeled myself for what would be quite possibly the hardest part of the day as a whole. I swallowed as he began to speak. "And you, Ellie, my only child, my everything, I have never been more proud of someone as I am of you now. I remember when I saw you for the first time, this tiny little girl in an incubator, sealed off from the outside world because even the slightest germ could've ripped your existence away from me. When they told me I either had to clean my life up and take care of you, or let someone else raise you, it wasn't a question of how, it was a question of when. I knew, I just knew, that I couldn't let anyone else have you, not when those little fingers closed around my thumb and gave a squeeze that told me you were a fighter."

A lump welled up in my throat as I listened to him speak, Jake rubbing my knuckles with his warm thumb once more, soothing me as I listened to the hardest thing I'd ever listened to in my entire life. A cancer diagnosis had nothing on this. He gave me a warm smile. "All the operations, all the tears wept before and after, and then all the good results, made all that sacrifice worth it. I struggled to go on sometimes, wondering if this operation would be the last, if you would finally go, be free from the pain, pain being a constant in your short life, something I wished and prayed time after time, year after year, operation after operation, that I could take away from you and have it myself. I longed for those times when I could see you again, hold you in my arms again, soothe you to sleep, give you a new shirt that smelled of me for you to cuddle into at night," I gave a breathless laugh at that as I wiped away the beads of moisture that were gathering under my eyes.

He gave a breathless laugh too, moisture gathering under his eyes too. "And I promised you would never worry about having a roof over your head ever again, that you would never want for anything." He stated, my mind prickling as I remembered him telling me that when I was ten and I asked him what would happen if Grams would no longer be here to care for me. That made the lump grow as the thought of the wonderful lady to my right who sat next to Dad, her warm smile holding something secretive.

Dad gave me a warm smile, looking at Jake and his Dad too. "Which is why, with Jacob and Billy, we gathered whatever funds we could, and purchased you a little patch of land deep in the forest on tribal lands, about half a mile from here, and it has its own little home on it, one I, along with Jake while you were busy with wedding planning, and the pack, have spent the last three weeks renovating to turn into your forever home for you."

Tears welled up in my eyes before I could stop them and I was swallowed into a hug by the one man who'd stuck by me since birth, even when money was tight and he was fresh out of college with his law degree, still partying about with a huge mess of student debt, something I know he's still paying off. I pressed my face into his shoulder as he rubbed a hand down my back; he pressed a kiss to my cheek, his mouth lingering near my ear. "I told you that you would never have to worry about a thing, never in a million years, Ellie baby, and I damn well keep promises."

 **(W*W)**

 _~Jacob's point of view~_

Ellie gave me a look and I gave her a grin. Of course I knew about that. I had used my first income from the shop to purchase that little patch of land, the cabin on it needed significant work like you couldn't believe. It was of no worth to the owner, who was looking for a little bit of extra cash, and securing that land for under five grand never felt so good. The guy has been desperate for cash, and with some connections, I'd gotten it for well, way well under its actual value.

I stood next, holding my glass as I placed a hand on her white satin clad shoulder. "Ellie, we both knew we might never get this moment. You were so angry when we first met, intent on pushing anyone and anything away so no one else got hurt in case things took a turn for the worst. I didn't listen; I knew, I just knew that things would turn out alright, but only if I got you to believe in me, if I centred all of my attention on you, if I gave you reason enough to believe me. I worked night and day, researching all the treatment you would need to get better, how I could help you in case something happened, what to do in case things took a turn for the worst. I worried and I strived to make you better."

Her eyes shone with fresh tears as she stared up at me, her bottom lip sucked between her pearly white teeth as she struggled not to cry yet again. "I got you better, with endless help from many people, many of them here today, and I started thinking about our future, the one I knew would involve us both, together. I couldn't imagine my life without you, not one single second of it. I wanted it worry free where you could experience things that you never had the chance to, where you could sleep at night knowing that the roof above you wouldn't ever be taken away from you. I searched for somewhere that we could on day have a family, where we could make it our own and have our own little mini pack one day."

She gave a small laugh at that, a few of the guys chuckling around us. "But nothing is going to happen, not unless you're by my side forever."

 **(W*W)**

 _~Eleanora's point of view~_

I stared at myself in the mirror as I finished changing into my after dress in the bathroom, the floor length mirror tucked away in the corner. I was rosy cheeked, bright eyed, and I looked as though I'd just had the best day of my life. _I had too_. This had been the best day in my life. I smoothed my hands over my white lace dress and smiled at myself in the mirror, although, the bundle of nerves in my stomach swelled as I pulled on my denim jacket, taking a quick look at the bathroom clock. Ten to eight. We would leave in ten minutes for our two weeks away in the cabin, and yet this time, I knew we'd be doing more than sleep.

Carrie had told me that it hurt the first time, but not much, at least that'd been her experience with her old boyfriend. I had never been fantastic with pain, and I knew from looking online at the forums, as ridiculous as that sounded, that it didn't hurt as much after the first time, but the first time meant the most. I would be giving my virginity up tonight, something I had thought I would never, ever lose, and I was giving it to my _husband_ , my _soulmate_ , the one who the spirits had chosen me to be the imprint of. This was Jake; he would never hurt me, not intentionally, but not even he could take this pain away if it hurt the first time, and maybe the next time after that too.

Giving myself a once over in the mirror once more and an anxious smile, I headed on downstairs, thankful I'd changed my wedding shoes to my more comfortable, more broken in pair of flats, my white laser cut-out ones I adored so much as were comfortable on my aching feet.

Jake was stood talking with Dad and Billy as I came out, Grams giving a little gasp and a bright smile, pulling me tight into her arms. "My sweet Nora," she whispered, pressed a kiss to my now make-up free cheek. I gave a watery smile, pressing a kiss to her cheek before I was swamped into a hug by Carrie, the raven haired girl giving me a grin. "I totally did not, under any circumstances, pack my gift into your bag." She whispered as though it were a huge secret and I gave an exasperated laugh, pulling her into another hug. "Have I ever told you how much I love and hate you at the same time sometimes?" I asked.

My best friend of over a decade gave me a cheeky smile just as the man who'd given such a heart warming speech came up to me, his own wedding band glinting in the evening summer light. He gave me a warm smile. "It's eight," he stated as he pressed a kiss to my cheek. "If we leave now, we can reach the cabin before ten." He explained and I nodded with a warm smile, leaning into his embrace as I felt him press another kiss to my temple, giving my shoulder a light squeeze.

Grams gave me a warm smile, pressing me into another hug before she pressed a kiss to my forehead, letting me go off with Jake to the truck.

 **(W*W)**

The cabin was a welcome sight from the rush of excitement from the festivities that had happened all afternoon and most of the evening. The dashboard clock showed it was just after ten considering we'd stopped in Port Angeles to grab some supplies, especially considering I didn't think we'd get out of the cabin, much less out of the bed itself, for the next few days.

It was eerily dark outside as we pulled up, the sun having just set behind the trees, and Jake looked at me, a calm smile on his face while my nerves ran havoc through my body. "You get the groceries, I get the bags?" He suggested, giving me a welcome distraction from what I knew would be happening in under an hour. I was ready, I had been for months, but it still didn't stop me from being extremely nervous about it.

I nodded with a small smile, climbing out of the truck cabin and grabbing the bag of groceries that would last us a mere few days with how ravenous he was, and how much all the wolves ate. They were like a bottomless pit in truth. I trudged up into the house, heading straight for the kitchen with a small smile, pulling the milk and eggs and bacon and everything else that would sure taste good when cooked out of the bags, placing them into their relevant places in the fridge. I heard Jake trudge into the bedroom with both bags while I finished packing stuff away.

Hot hands secured on my hips as I finished, my head falling back and my eyes closing as I leant back against the warm, solid muscle rock of his chest, revelling in the smell I'd grown so used to over the course of our two years together. Jake gave a hum. "We don't have to do anything tonight if you're nervous, you know. We don't have to rush into anything."

I whirled around, eyes open as I stared up at him. "Jake, I love you, but sometimes you need to stop worrying," I joked and he gave a grin, hoisting me up into his arms so my legs were locked around his waist, his hands on my lower behind, supporting my weight as he held me up.

He pressed a kiss to my mouth, his tongue gliding against the seam of my lips, requesting entrance, something I gave. My eyes slid shut as I felt him walk up backwards into the bedroom, a room that was bathed in the warm orange light from the lit furnace that he must've lit during the time when I was putting the groceries away. He set me on the bed, my hair splayed around my head like a halo, and he released my mouth, hovering over me with a gentle smile. "You sure?"

I nodded as I shrugged my denim jacket off of my shoulders, the room warm this time from the flames within the furnace heater that was behind Jake, its amber light casting a romantic glow over the wooden walls of the bedroom. "I'm sure," I whispered, Jake giving a grin as he leant back down, his mouth finding mine as he moved me backwards over the sheets, easing me inside as his hand slid inside my white dress.

My eyes fluttered shut as our clothes tumbled to the floor, a rip and a tear of a foil packet following, his mouth finding mine once more as out bodies pressed together, both of them becoming one with the loving caresses that followed, soothing whispers being whispered in my ears as we moved together, our shadows reflecting us as one, the furnace sending warmth out into the room as we both gasped and sighed to another.


	35. Chapter 35

Warmth, an unbearable heat, covered every limb of my body, but it did nothing to soothe the painful ache I felt down below. I winced softly as I stretched, my rings catching the pale summer morning light as I sat up in bed, the fire long since died out in the little furnace heater, Jake giving a soft mumble in his sleep behind me. I gave a small smile as I turned around, laying on my side as I studied his relaxed features while he slept.

Brows furrowed as he dreamt of goodness knows what, his hands twitching beside me under the covers, the only thing keeping me safe from the chilly room. I could of laid here forever, watching Jake, my _soulmate_ , my now _husband_ , which still felt weird to say, sleep, like some sort of creepy stalker, but my bladder had other ideas, the constant pressure making me grimace. I gently peeled myself out of the bed with a small smile, slipping out of the room without a sound as not to wake Jake up.

The toilet flushed noisily as I washed my hands, my soft white cotton robe wrapped tight around my bare form. It was chilly, yes, but after relighting the furnace in the living room, some heat began to spread back through the cabin. I stared at myself in the mirror, the bright eyed look having increased substantially since yesterday night. My hair was a complete and utter mess though, tangles from where fingers had threaded through during moments of passion and heat and lust.

My eyes glazed over as I thought about the memories that'd been created here in just twelve short hours; it had hurt, yeah, I wouldn't lie. It had hurt like absolute hell the first time, but we hadn't just done it once, we'd done it loads of times until we couldn't no more. I gave a small smile as I placed a hand over where my new, beating heart was, something he'd placed kiss after kiss over on the thin white scar that was there and would always prove just how much he'd stuck by me when I almost died, on numerous occasions. He'd been so gentle last night, making sure that the discomfort in the times that followed was minimal.

My cheeks flamed as I thought back to just how he made sure that there was barely any pain after the first time, and how I was quite sure his mouth and hands covered every single inch of my body, making me weep with the pleasure overload as I cried out time after time after time, his name falling hoarsely from my swollen lips as I squeezed my eyes shut, my hair strewn across my face as I writhed from his every touch.

I swallowed, a small smile coming to my face as I turned off the tap, tightened the sash of my robe and stepped out of the bathroom, a murmured name making me head back into the bedroom.

Jake was sat up in bed, looking half awake still, but a wide, sleepy grin spread across his face as he saw me, my bathrobe tight around my nude form. He opened his arms, lifting the duvet up and giving a wide grin, I slipped back into his arms, laughing when his mouth found mine, his hands cradling my face once more as he moved his mouth gently against mine.

I hummed, my lashes brushing his cheeks as I blinked softly, his thumb stroking my right cheekbone. "Morning," I whispered and he grinned against my mouth, his thumb still stroking my cheek. "Morning," he murmured, pressing a kiss to the corner of my mouth before he grinned wider. "Not too sore right?"

My own mouth widened as I gave a grin. "A little, but not _too_ sore, no," I answered and his grin widened before he pulled the covers tighter around us, swallowing us whole beneath the light coloured sheets, my laughter swallowed by his urgent, passionate kisses.

 **(W*W)**

There was a small patch of blood with a few smears on the stripped sheets, something that was now being washed so we didn't have to lay on my blood tonight when we slept, or rather, when we did the very act that had caused me to bleed all over the sheets. I sighed as I grimaced with the ache in my lower regions, it haven gotten a little bit worse since this morning. We'd had sex once more, this time a tad bit more energetically than last night considering everything was so gentle -and it still was, just not so much. Jake had made breakfast, we'd somehow found ourselves back in the bed again, managed to drag ourselves out of it an hour ago, and here I was, washing bloodied bed sheets that I would hopefully never have to wash something like that off of ever again.

Jake was out chopping wood for the bonfire he was creating tonight, and then tomorrow, or the day after, we'd go hiking, something I was looking forward to. He's taken me hiking before and after my operation as to build up my lungs and other muscles and help me get ready for such a big op and then to help me build everything back up afterwards when I was given the go-ahead so my recovery would be a lot smoother.

I loved hiking, especially considering it ended up with a hot make-out session none too long afterwards.

I shoved the sheets into the washing machine, thanking the heavens that at least there was electricity here. I would have to dry them outside in about an hour, something I wasn't fussed about. It wouldn't take long in this weather anyways. It was sweltering hot outside -the sheets were bound to dry fast.

A thudding sound from outside told me Jake was back to chopping wood, and I went over to the open front door, a small smile coming to my face as I watched him work. He wasn't wearing much but a pair of sweats, a white wifebeater top and his boots. I folded my arms across my chest as I watched him hack away at log after log after log, sweat dripping down his brow as he worked endlessly, and as I watched him shamelessly.

Jake paused after about a thousand logs, ducking his head low before he turned to me with a smirk. "Enjoying the sights considering you've been stood there for twenty minutes?" He teased, tossing the axe down and swopping onto me, pulling me into his sweaty arms while I laughed, cheeks flamed at being caught.

He pressed kiss after kiss along my jawline while I laughed, wriggling in his arms. "Ew! You're all sweaty and nasty!" I exclaimed with a wide ass smile and he laughed, a wide grin on his face too. "Is that so? You didn't seem to mind being all sweaty this morning." He mocked and I gave a gasp of horror. "You gonna talk about our deeds out in the open? Hey, in Narnia the trees could listen, you know." I teased.

His dark eyes brightened and he pulled me against his sweaty body, a wide grin on his face as he cradled my jaw, pressing his mouth to mine as we both softly exhaled, his thumb stroking my jawline as he usually did. He pulled back after a moment. "Then there's something to talk about."


	36. Chapter 36

**Mentions of mature content in this chapter, so if you don't like it, please don't read this chapter and then complain about it. Mention in the comments below if you'd like more of this sort of stuff, and if you don't, mention that also, but don't then read the chapter if you don't and then complain please.**

* * *

 _~Jacob's point of view~_

A week had passed, and we still found it hard to get out of the bed in the morning, too busy trying to see if there were places on each other that could reveal the utmost pleasure, the utmost high, in our times together. It was amazing, to finally have had sex with her, with my soulmate, my imprint, my now _wife_ , something that felt just so right, even though we were only eighteen.

Ellie twisted around in the white sheets, her raven black hair askew as a fine sheen of sweat covered her russet skin. A bright smile covered her face. "You know, why on earth did I wait?" She wondered out loud and I gave a grin, raising a brow as I moved back a few ebony strands from in front of her baby blue eyes. "Because it was something you've always wanted. To be honest, if you'd of retracted that condition, I probably wouldn't have still slept with you because lets face it, anticipations makes things a whole lot better."

Her eyes gleamed with mirth. "Liar," she breathed and I grinned wider, pulling her to me and tucking her under me, rolling on top of her, my weight supported by my hands on either side of her head. I grinned as I thought back to the message I'd seen on her phone, over her shoulder, from Carrie last night. "Whose the liar?" I asked cheerily, a wide grin on my face. "I know from a little birdie that you have something stashed away in your bag that would make rolling in this bed a whole lot better." I commented breezily.

Cheeks flamed red instantly and she glared. "You saw Carrie's message!" She accused and I nodded with a wide ass hell grin. "Sure did. C'mon, Ellie, you know that no one else will see it." I teased and she huffed, turning her face away from mine, but I could see the quivering of her mouth as she tried to keep her smile hidden from me. She rolled over in the bed after she saw me looking at her, her smile evident just as she buried her face into the pillows.

I grinned, pulling her back against me, rolling my hips into hers, a soft moan slipping from her lips as I did so, my length pressed against her. She looked at me with her most unimpressed look. "You know, sex can't fight all your battles," she stated and I grinned, pressing my mouth to hers with a groan, her hands coming up to thread in my hair. I pulled back just when it was starting to get good. "If you put it on I'll do that thing again," I bargained, her eyes lighting up a little. My fingers drifted a little lower, sinking into her wetness as she let out a soft groan, her hands pushing at my chest. "I'll do it, I'll do it!" She whimpered, quickly sliding out of the bed at the thought of me making her explode once more with my mouth. That'd been comical the first time, seeing the look of absolute mortification and horror, only for it to fall away when her head fell back amidst a tumble of ebony coloured locks.

A creak drew my attention from my thoughts and my head snapped to the side, my eyes widening as I sat up a little more, the green lingerie on her making me harder than ever before. Ellie tugged at it nervously, her cheeks bright red as though she were horrified at wearing such a thing. I beckoned her over, her cheeks flaming even more as she fell forwards into my lap, the green and black silk thong sliding against me. Her cheeks were flushed dramatically, the tops of her breasts flushed too with embarrassment, and I tipped her head up so she was looking at me with nowhere else to go.

"You're beautiful," I whispered, her eyes softening a little as she stared at me. I trailed my finger over the white scar that was left from her new heart. "This just makes me want you more," I added in a hushed voice, tracing my fingers over her visible tattoos. "These even more too, and even though you get embarrassed at the slightest mention of something racy, I love you even more because of it, because I know it means no one else has ever touched you like I have, rocked your world like I have." I soothed.

Ellie gave a shy smile as tears shone in her eyes from my words, and she pressed her mouth against mine, hips beginning to move before I pulled her beneath the sheets once more, moving her underneath me as my hands drifted up that green and black amazing beautiful lingerie.

 **(W*W)**

We laid in the bed afterwards, bodies tangled together around sheets and the lingerie that I'd pulled off of her halfway during it, her chest heaving lightly with the exertion she'd just placed on it, my fingers drifting over the thankfully healthy, thumping organ that she was downright lucky to have gotten so fast based on her previous medical history.

She gave a soft exhale. "How big of a family do you think we'll have one day?" She asked and I gave a grin. "How big do you want one?" I asked and she gave a content sounding hum. "How many bedroom are in our home?" She asked and I gave a grin, remembering the extra work that'd gone into it, plus the extension, and the upstairs that had needed redoing in order to make the most of the available space plus the extension. "Six," I stated proudly and she gave me a look. "You're messing, right?" She asked.

I gave a grin, folding my arms behind my head as she sat up. "Nope. They aren't the biggest rooms, and one could possibly be an office for work and stuff, but yeah. Six bedrooms, so, how many do you think we should have, bearing in mind we can't start having them for another year and a half?"

Ellie smiled slightly. "As many until we can't fit anymore into the rooms." She whispered and I grinned, pulling her mouth back to mine, fingers lacing through her raven locks that were tangled from rolling around in the sheets. I pulled back with a grin. "I think we can do a thing about that."


	37. Chapter 37

The truck ride after two weeks of absolute _heaven_ was simply steaming with anticipation, my hands fidgeting as I tried to contain my excitement while Jake drove us towards our home that everyone had helped us get, and helped put together, and had finished adding the remaining touches onto it just last night, so everything was fresh and no doubt quite perfectly beautiful.

I couldn't contain my grin as we re-entered the reservation, the La Push sign welcoming us back. I knew that as soon as we stepped though that door, we wouldn't be out of it for a few days. Jake had made that increasingly clear to me before we left the cabin, and hey, I was more than down for just getting lost beneath the sheets for a few days, he only leaving for the patrol he'd agreed to, which was less than normal, and to do some car shop stuff. I was more than down for just a few days of mainly just us both, in bed, doing things I certainly didn't do before a fortnight ago.

Jake had his hand resting on my knee, his right hand on my knee, left on the wheel. His thumb was rubbing across my kneecap as he drove, my eyes watching out of the window. I was practically bouncing in my seat, excited beyond words that could describe it. He had a grin on his face as he drove us closer to where our forever home was, and I just couldn't wait to see it. We could've been living in a shack, and I still wouldn't care, because it was the thought and effort that counted to me, not the money or worth, but the time put into doing this so I wouldn't ever have to worry about a roof over my head again.

Jake turned off the main road in La Push, the truck shaking as it went up a rough dirt road, and Jake placed both hands on the wheel then. steering us around some fairly tight bends before he pulled up onto a dirt driveway, and it was outside on the most beautiful wooden log homes I had ever seen, the type that you saw on the internet, or the type you saw in the movies, the ones that looked like absolute perfection.

He turned to me, giving me a grin. "Welcome home, Ellie."

I clambered out of the truck eagerly, only to have Jake swoop me into his arms, picking me up as he headed towards the house. I gave a short squeal of surprise as he cradled me to his chest, laughing as he grinned at me. "What is this for?" I asked between laughs and he grinned. "I'm carrying you over the threshold," he stated as though it were obvious. I gave a gleaming smile in response. My wolfy husband, and while the last part of that title was going to get some getting used to, the first part was familiar and normal, because he was my wolfy man, mine and mine alone.

The inside, the front room where I could sit for hours and look at the view, was beautiful. Wooden walls that added to the character, a stone fireplace with the television above it making me smile, the exact same arrangement at Grams and Dad's house in the living room, and I knew he'd done that there and then considering he'd done the one there too before he was forced to go and work away to support us.

Jake placed me down. "Tell you what, explore while I sort the truck out and get it parked in the small shelter at the back, and then we'll explore our room together, hm?" He pressed his mouth to mine gently, the tip of his tongue tracing the seam of my lips before he pulled back, giving me a grin as he slipped back out of the house, whistling as he did. My breath shuddered in and out my lips as I tried to regain the oxygen I'd lost during his much accepted assault on my mouth.

The living room was cosy, and simple, just how I liked it, right down to the leather couches I'd seen in the garage back home, to the homemade curtains that Grams had said she'd been making for the living room there but had obviously not been doing, and even down to the basket of fire logs that I'd seen Jake chopping just a week ago. Someone must've picked them up from the cabin because I had seen him put them in that exact same basket as soon as he's finished chopping them up.

I gave a slight smile as I ambled through to the little kitchen that would do Jake and I just damn well fine. The wooden walls and tiled floors contrasted perfectly, my smile widening as I spotted the same sign that'd been in the kitchen back at my first home, a place that would always hold a special place to my heart, regardless of whether the organ had been mine to begin with or not.

I could see an empty room down past the kitchen, more than likely what would be the small office or bedroom Jake had been talking about. I left that to explore another time, heading for the wooden staircase to go head up stairs. I quickly took a look at the bathroom, grinning at the fact we had a bathtub and not just a shower on its own, something I well intended to use later on before I headed off to bed.

Speaking of bed, and bedrooms, I stepped into ours with a small smile, taking in the obviously super king sized bed that I just knew he would insist upon. I grinned, taking in the rustic furnishings that decorated the room, the walls the same wood as what ran throughout the rest of the home. Jake came in behind me, tossing the bags beside the bed before he pulled me into his arms with an easy grin. "I take it you approve then?"

I didn't speak; my mouth found his, hands pulling at his shirt, and he grinned, pushing me back gently. "I'll take that as a yes," he answered.


	38. Chapter 38

Time passed fast. Jake and I fell into an easy routine; we made love in the early morning when he returned from patrol, he slept from the time we finished until lunchtime, and then he went and worked in the garage, helping to support us and the rest of the guys who worked there. He then came home, we made dinner together and relaxed for the rest of the day before we fell into bed, Jake leaving to run patrol at one in the morning three out of the four days a week, returning at six in the morning to keep me warm in bed once more.

I brushed the fallen leaves into a pile with a soft sigh, September nearing to an end, October just around the corner. It was starting to get colder, Jake not even allowing me out unless I wrapped up warm enough so I didn't catch a chill, my immune system still impaired. I still wore the mask, Jake having done some reservations to add a deck around the back, dust and wood-chippings having contaminated the air. He'd made sure to track none of it into the house so it would affect my respiration.

It was so amazing, not having to worry about anything, to just be able to live life without worries. Running a arts and crafts class and a youth club with Emily on weekends brought in a little income, around $300 dollars a month, but it still helped. I knew Em took the same away, but she also taught art and crafts at the local high school on the reservation which brought in most of her income. I also did customer service helpline in the office, a private company out of Port Angeles, from nine in the morning through to five in the afternoon with an hour at lunchtime for a break. That earned me a good almost $3000 a month, a job I'd be quite surprised to land to be honest.

Jake still brought in the most, his income another grand atop mine, meaning we were more than financially secure for being both only eighteen. He'd bought a truck that we would use to get to my hospital appointments, Rachel caring for Billy now, making sure he was well taken care of with us too, both Jake and I dropping in at least a dozen times a week to make sure he was alright.

I placed the brush against the log wall of the house just as Jake's truck pulled up, Jake climbing out, pulling a bag of groceries out with him. He flashed me a grin as he used his elbow to shut the car door. "Hey Ellie," he said cheerily, pressing a kiss to my cheek as he passed. I gave a small smile as I followed him. "Hey back. Many jobs today?" I asked.

He nodded as he placed the brown paper bag on the countertop, pulling me into his arms before he eased the zip of my jacket down with a grin. He peeled it from my shoulders. "Sure was. Paul agreed to stay behind and work through them with Seth, give me some time with you."

I gave a soft laugh. "So you ditched work to come and see me when you had an hour left?" I asked with a raised brow and his grin widened. "It wasn't like that Els. Paul told me to get back home, to come and have dinner before six for once." He countered cheerily and I rolled my eyes at him, pressing a kiss to his mouth. "We do have dinner before six, thank you very much." I countered back and he laughed, releasing me, tossing my jacket onto the counter before he began pulling the groceries out of the bag and started putting them away.

I leant against the counter. "I got a call from child protective services today," I revealed and he paused, looking back at me. "Why would they be ringing you?" He asked and I shrugged. "I don't know to be honest. Wanted to come out and see us both on the twelfth of October about something. Wouldn't tell me anything over the phone." I added and he frowned, shrugging after a moment. "Then we see what they want. Could it have something to do with your birth mother?"

A bitter taste rose in my throat. "You mean the druggie waste of space egg donor? Maybe, but I don't want nothing to do with her or whatever crap she'd trying to bring into our life. We're happy, and I really don't need her making me ill from whatever sort of shit she's up to." I stated firmly.

Jake hummed, finishing putting stuff away and with a soft sigh, he pulled me back into his arms, smoothing my raven black tendrils back with a soft sigh before he pressed a kiss to my lips once more. "We'll see what they want, and then we'll take it from there," he murmured softly to me."


	39. Chapter 39

_~Jacob's point of view~_

Eleanora put a pleasant smile on her face as she followed behind the CPS worker, shutting the front door behind her as she followed the worker, the CPS worker taking a seat at the dining room table, a file tucked under her arm. She shook both of our hands, her grip firm. "I'm Sheila Patterson and I work out of the Seattle CPS office." She introduced/

I gave her an easy grin. "Nice to meet you," Ellie murmured, looking uncomfortable. I gently gave her hand a squeeze under the table and she squeezed back before she spoke. "I'm a little confused," she stated and Sheila nodded. "I don't blame you. I'm here to speak to you both about possible guardianship."

A frown marred Ellie's face. "Guardianship? Why us? We aren't registered foster parents and we're only eighteen." She answered and Sheila nodded. "And that as been taken into careful consideration but while you're both only eighteen, you have a reliable and steady income, you own your own home, and you're very mature for your age. We know you've been through some health troubles and had a transplant recently, but we believe that in spite of hospital visits we know you go to every few months, but we believe you would be above standard guardians."

I exchanged a glance with Ellie before speaking. "What are we talking about here? Who is the kid you want us to look after?"

Shelia opened the folder, pulling two others out from within it, both identical to the main one. "Patricia Kieran, I assume that name is familiar to you, Eleanora?"

My wife gave an angered scowl. "Yeah, as a multitude of other names that I won't repeat in front of you." She stated coolly, and I frowned, opening my mouth to ask who that was, but Shelia continued. "Yes, well, I wouldn't blame you, my dear. She came to our attention, yet again, when she tested positive for heroin during her recent blood tests which is standard tests during pregnancy. She's twenty-two weeks pregnant, and we're planning on removing the infants from her care as soon as they're born."

I frowned. "Infants, as in plural?" I voiced and she nodded, pulling what looked like an ultrasound out of her folder. "Yes, plural, sextuplets to be precise. We believe she used fertility drugs to bring about a multiple pregnancy as doctors found traces of what was identified as Clomid in her bloodstream. She has already be highly uncooperative in the care of these sextuplets. She's been in the hospital since the twentieth week and hasn't allowed any of the doctors to administer drugs. She still routinely tests positive for heroin and they're investigating how its being given to her and how she's getting her hands on it while still in hospital. She recently tested positive for cocaine also. These infants will under no circumstances returned to her care."

My blood boiled as I listened to this. It was like Ellie all over again. "It's just like me all over again," the girl in question murmured and Sheila nodded grimly. "Absolutely. I believe firmly in placing them with family, and you are the only family that Patricia Kieran has, sadly for you, so I understand that six babies would be a lot to ask of you, one I wouldn't normally ask an eighteen year old married couple to do, but, if you can prove, both of you, in these next few months that my assumption isn't wrong and that you can in fact take care of these babies, I don't see why you both couldn't be guardians to them."

Ellie was silent for a few moments as she thought things through. "Can I have a few days to think all this through?" She asked quietly, her hand sweaty in mine. I glanced at her to see she was as white as a sheet. "Its a lot to take in and I want to do some research and stuff, sort finances out, that sort of thing, see if we can properly support them." She added.

Shelia nodded with a small smile, understanding Ellie's reasoning. "Of course. I'll be in Port Angeles next week, so I'll drop by and pay you a visit then." She reached across the table and shook Ellie's hand and then mine. "It was lovely to meet you. I'll leave these files with you, and have a read through thoroughly before you decide anything."

My imprint nodded numbly, her eyes dazed. "Nice to meet you too."

 **(W*W)**

Her dad rubbed a hand down his face as he sighed. "I knew that woman would come and slither her way back into your life sometime in the future, I just didn't think now." He scowled, and Ellie nodded, handing the file over to him. "Dad, its me all over again, this time to my six brothers or sisters. Sextuplets would be a miracle to some people, and yet she'd determined to ruin their lives even before they're born! And then it falls to Jake and I should we accept to raise my brothers or sisters, one or more of them probably having similar problems to me as well." She added softly.

I nodded. "We were working out finances, and we believe we could do it if we got help taking care and feeding them from the pack, but the medical bills? Hell, you worked a high paying job and struggled with Ellie's bills and supporting she and her Grams." I stated.

He nodded. "I know. But you don't have to pay rent, you have savings from just a few months to buy the stuff needed for these babies, and you've both got your heads screwed on right. I don't see why, with help, you both couldn't do it."


	40. Chapter 40

I sighed as I snuggled up to Jake, my head tucked under his, the canula taped under my nose once more as I received my nightly oxygen treatment, my lungs still healing, although doing so much better now that I wasn't riddled with as many problems as I was a few years ago. He rubbed his hand down my back lightly, his bare chest hot against my skin as he held me. In his hand was the file that the CPS worker had left us, something I had read and read loads of times, and still couldn't believe the horrible truths that were in that folder.

Jake sighed softly, echoing mine. "She's twenty four weeks now," he murmured, and I nodded, briefly closing my eyes before I reopened them, smoothing my hand down his hard chest, tracing the muscled lines of his abdomen. "Docs say she won't go beyond twenty-eight as they've gotten a court order to do the caesarean on the nineteenth of next month."

He nodded, humming lightly. "Six days before Christmas," he mused and I nodded too. "What a present for our first Christmas married together," I joked half-heartedly and he grinned, glancing down at me. His lips pressed against my forehead. "What a present," he joked back and I smiled slightly, closing my eyes as he reached over and turned the lamp off, placing the file on the bedside table.

I drifted off to sleep with the sound of the cold winter wind howling outside. It'd been forecast for snow within the next week, the thought of the cold powdery stuff exciting me beyond belief. His thick arm slid around my bare waist. He had patrol in a few hours starting at two, and he would be back in the house for eight in the morning. He was covering for Calvin who was taking care of little Theo, the three week old little boy having just been discharged from the hospital and Val not being well herself, all of the pack stepping it to help them. Michael had been covering for his brother since he'd come home, and everyone was all hands on deck at the moment, like they always were.

I woke to his body sliding behind mine once more, his mouth peppering kisses down my neck as his warm arms wrapped around me. A small smile came to my face as I sleepily opened my eyes. Jake grinned at me, tucking me under him as his fingers caressed my face. I gave a sleepy, protesting moan. "You couldn't have given me five more minutes," I grumbled and he grinned widely. "What kind of imprinter would I be if I didn't give my imprint some morning loving?" He chuckled.

A smile spread across my face as he moulded his mouth to mine, hand already reaching for my thigh as the sheets swallowed us whole.

 **(W*W)**

I sighed as I came out of the house, the bitter cold making a shiver wrack my body, despite the thick layers I'd wrapped myself up in. It was _freezing_ , and it was only the twenty second of November, and I had a date with a certain six year old and almost four month old who was waiting for me at Sam and Emily's house. Emily had to run some last minute errands, and with a small smile, I'd readily agreed to watch Claire and little Zach for her.

A soft exhale left my lips as I began to walk to almost half an hour walk, through the trail in the woods, to their house. It was amazing how close Jake and I were to Sam and Emily. There were a few more rundown, crippled, former shells of homes in the woods that hadn't been lived in for _years_ and _years_ , and I had no doubt that in the coming years, as more of the guys found their imprints, that they too would be filled with sweet sounding laughter and the sounds of children running about.

 _Children_ , a voice echoed in my mind. We'd have six, hungry, needy babies under our own roof in just three months time, when they were released from the hospital. Some could be released, if they were lucky that is, after just eight weeks! They were being born at the Seattle's Children Hospital, the very same hospital I had my heart transplant just a year ago.

Frost crunched from underneath my booted feet. If only I could drive. Jake had given me a few lessons, but I just couldn't find time for them anymore. I was constantly working out finances, working from nine in the morning until seven at night now with no lunch break in order to maximise the time I spent working. I would have food with me while I was answering calls, but I had to fit eating around the times when I wasn't dealing with a customer complaint or inquiry. It was hard, but earing an extra twenty bucks an hour was totally worth it.

My breath fogged in front of me as I shoved my mittened hands into my thick coat pockets. It was infuriating that someone could do this to innocent, unborn babies, _twice_ , and get away with it. It was disgusting, especially considering Jake and I would struggle to have children when we were a bit older. Now that was a thought. With my multitude of medical issues, some healed and some not, it would be dangerous for me to carry a child, let alone the medications that I took which hindered my fertility. I couldn't even remember the last time I had a regular menstrual cycle. I had one a few months ago, but it was light, spotted, and not anything that would amount to a real one.

The earthy smell flooded my senses as I walked down the dwindling trail. I loved it here, in amongst nature, I really did. Jake, during our way too short honeymoon at the cabin, had persuaded me to take a gentle hike through the park, something that had ended in a less than innocent encounter amongst the trees and wilderness. My cheeks flooded as the thought of his hands covering my bare skin, mouth on mine, the warm summer breeze on my bare skin. Now that had been utterly _amazing_.

The little house surrounded with potted plants came into view, and I gave a small smile as I jogged up to the little wooden porch, Claire bounding out the house to see me. Her little arms wound around me as she barrelled into me. "Eleanora!" She cried, hugging me tightly, her aunt coming out of the house, coat on, little Zach sleeping in her arms. She gave me a warm smile. "You're a lifesaver, El," she uttered softly and I chuckled, little Zach, the almost four month old, being placed into my arms. He gave a sleepy while but quieted, his mouth opening and closing as he nestled into me.

I gave a small smile. "No worries, always eager to help out." I stated, gently cradling the little baby in my arms, and Emily gave a soft chuckle. "I just need to make a few quick trips to Forks to get a few bits and bobs, so I shouldn't be more than an hour, maybe two, depending on how long things take." She pointed out, leaning down to give Zach a quick kiss and then she bent over to give Claire one, the dark haired girl hugging back tightly before bounding into the house, Em walking off towards the blue truck, Zach and I gratefully stepping in out of the cold.

 **(W*W)**

Zach safely sleeping in his cream coloured Moses basket and Claire colouring quietly, the little house was quiet except for the scratching of the colouring pencils. I sat texting Jake, a small smile on my face as I read his latest message, a message that I certainly wouldn't be reading out loud anytime soon.

 _Is that so?_ I typed back, a smile on my face. I didn't register that the scratching of the colouring pencils had stopped until Claire pushed her pretty little face up into mine. "Whatcha smiling about?" She tittered and I quickly put the phone away, pulling her into my arms. "Just talking with Uncle Jake." I tittered back and she giggled. "Uncle Jake is silly. He and Quil were being silly yesterday." She giggled.

My phone pinged beside me but I ignored it, my full focus on Claire now. It was strange to know that at just six years old she was an imprint. I knew Quil didn't feel about her that way, that it was more a big brother feel, but it wouldn't be like that forever. She and Quil would no doubt be an item in over two decades with a family of their own. Not that was a weird thought.

Claire suddenly frowned. "How can you be having six babies next month?" She asked quietly and I frowned before I realised that she must have heard a conversation between the pack and Jake and I yesterday night when we came over to tell them about what was happening. I smoothed a hand down her raven locks, settling back with her in my arms. "I'm not having the babies. They're my little brothers or sisters and Uncle Jake and myself are going to be taking care of them like they are our babies." I explained.

Her little dark brows furrowed. "They're your brother and sisters? I thought your Mommy was a bad person."

I nodded, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "She is a bad person which is why they're going to be our babies and not hers." I explained and she made an understanding noise before nestling into my arms. Her head then shot up once more as she looked at me. "Will Uncle Jake and you have babies of your own one day?"

A creaking of the door made me look behind me. Jake was stood there, Embry, Paul and Seth, all four no doubt have just come from the garage after having finished. It was getting dark out, and Em had probably told them that I was here, alone, with Claire and Zachary.

Jake was looking at me, his eyes telling me he too wanted to know the answer to that question, and I just wrapped my arms around the little dark haired six year old, pressing another kiss to her raven locks. "Maybe one day," I whispered, closing my eyes softly and I thought about how just impossible that feat would be.


	41. Chapter 41

_~Jacob's point of view~_

Just under two weeks until Christmas, and Ellie was stressing the hell out, because in those thirteen days, in just seven of them, we'd all but become parents in a sense to six very, _very_ sick babies that would have a long road to recovery ahead of them just like she did. The nurseries were all done, with help from the pack and everyone else, and we had _everything_. Hell, we could barely get moved throughout the house without bumping into something. The garage around the back of the house had become something akin to a diaper warehouse; it was unreal how quick those few weeks had flown by.

She rubbed a shaking hand down her face, the finance sheets that she'd done up spread out across the dining room table in front of her. She swallowed, looking worried, and I reached across the table, enveloping her shaking hand in my warm one. "Calm down," I warned. "The last thing we need is you back in hospital because you made yourself ill with stress." I added firmly.

Ellie fixed me with a look. "Look at this! We don't have to pay rent, only tax, groceries, the payment for a vehicle that won't even fit them all when we're bringing them back from Seattle, and other stupid bills! I was working out finances and the formula for them is going to be the most expensive thing there. We're going to get through a tin every two days ish!" She fretted.

I chewed on the inside of my cheek before I spoke. "Els, calm down. We already have a months supply of formula, and they won't need feeding that much for long, remember? They'll start of pureed food around June, and they won't need as much milk as before, and then, once they're a bit older, they can drink normal full fat milk, so its only for the first year we're going to really struggle." I pointed out.

Her blue eyes focussed on me, watering with unshed tears, and I swiftly moved off of my chair, kneeling in front of her. "Hey," I murmured, gently wiping away the falling tears. She sniffed. Her hands shook as I took them into my own. "Can we do this?" She asked shakily. Her blue eyes watered. "I mean, six babies? Some people struggle with just one, let alone six." She cried.

I nodded, rubbing my thumbs over her pointed knuckles. Her smooth skin warmed under my touch. "Yeah, and we have the pack and your Grams and Dad to help out as well as my Dad and my sisters when they come and visit in three months time. We're going to do just fine."

Ellie's bottom lip trembled as stressful tears trickled down her rosy cheeks, and I immediately pulled her off the chair and onto my lap, cradling her in my arms while she wept, her whole body shaking against mine as I rocked her against me, her hands shaking as they clutched my shirt. I rubbed my hand down her back. "We'll be just fine Els, I promise." I murmured as I pressed my mouth to her mass of raven curls.

* * *

 **-Just a filler to put out an update considering there hasn't been one for so long.**


End file.
